Europe Blog
Our views on the Internet and society
Helping Senior Citizens Stay At Home
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
An extended version of this post appears on
Google’s Public Sector and Elections Lab
blog
For European policymakers, projects such as the
European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging
and the UK’s
“Get Digital”
initiative demonstrate the importance of helping senior citizens stay happy and healthy at their homes. A pensioner living at home is bound to be happier and more productive than one stuck in a nursing home. Technology can help achieve this goal, and Google is doing its part. We recently brought together a diverse bunch of energetic people of all generations for our first ever Interactivism event - a special two day
hackathon
in London designed to make the Internet more accessible to older generations.
Before the hacking commenced, we heard from a true YouTube star, Peter Oakley, known online as "
Geriatric 1927
". Peter, 83 years-old, spoke inspirationally about his experiences on YouTube, his love of all things web related, and demoed his skills.
It was then time to get down to business. Students and senior citizens paired off to work on projects, which ranged from
TV Mate
(an easy to use remote control made from a computer tablet that can be personalised with photographs and sounds) to
TimeTag
(
a mechanism for dealing with delays in hospital appointment schedules) to
Echoing
(
helping people in care homes connect and add value to the outside world by recording memories specific to local places).
Several of the older participants from the grandparenting forum
Gransnet
commented on how much they appreciated the respect they received from their young colleagues. Some even found the experience life-changing, with one attendee writing: “this event really has done something wonderful
to me... I feel quite different”.
After hours of hard work, the final projects were presented to a panel of judges. They awarded
EZPZ Browser
the much sought-after
Google Interactivism Award
. A group of Gransnetters were also invited to form their own panel of judges. They voted for
Spotte
d, an app for sharing likes and dislikes.
Following the success of this event, we plan to use Interactivism’s innovative format to help inform policy development in a variety of other areas. Google UK will soon be announcing the second Interactivism event focusing on the ways in which technology can break down barriers and open doors for kids searching for jobs. Watch this space.
Posted by Naomi Gummer, Policy Analyst
PS: More
photographs from the Interactivism
weekend are now available at this
Interactivism Flickr group
.
UN strengthens freedom of expression safeguards
Monday, August 8, 2011
C
ross-posted from the Google Public Policy Blog
At Google, we believe that it is important for the international community to step up in defense of freedom of expression. Many governments around the world are attempting to exert more control over the net. Fortunately, the United Nations is going in the other direction.
In Geneva, the UN’s
Human Rights Committee
recently emphasized that the protections guaranteed by one of the
most important global human rights treaties
apply fully in the online world: bloggers, for example, should receive the same protection as journalists.
The Committee’s action represents only the latest sign of how international organisations are stepping up to defend free expression. Earlier this year, the UN’s Special Rapporteur
Frank La Rue
argued in a
report
that restricting the flow of online information violates human rights. He has also joined with representatives from the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
, the
Organisation of American States
, and the
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
to issue a
joint declaration
.
These strong signals are generating positive momentum. After a group of UK parliamentarians leveraged the UN declarations to complain about
website blocking plans
, their government pulled back. The UN Human Rights Committee offers important safeguards: individuals can directly bring many human rights violations to the committee for redress. It’s up to all of us to use this power to pressure governments to live up to their obligations and safeguard online freedom of expression.
Posted by William Echikson, Head of Free Expression, Google Europe Middle East and Africa
Restoring Bletchley Park, birthplace of modern computing
Monday, August 8, 2011
Cross-posted from the
Official Google Blog
Late last year Google
backed the bid
to buy the papers of the British computer scientist and wartime codebreaker
Alan Turing
and return them to their rightful home at
Bletchley Park
. We were thrilled when this was finally
achieved in February
.
Now we’ve joined forces with the Bletchley Park Trust to help raise funds to rebuild Block C, the original wartime building that once housed the vast punched card index—in essence, the “search engine” at the heart of Bletchley Park’s decryption activity.
Block C at Bletchley Park, awaiting restoration
Bletchley Park played a pivotal role in computing history. For decades the extraordinary achievements of its veterans were hidden by order of the UK’s Official Secrets Act. It was not until the 1980s that the full secret of
Colossus
— the world’s first electronic programmable computer—was revealed. Housed at Bletchley Park, Colossus and other custom-built machines were crucial aids in the code-breaking, reputed to have
shortened World War II
by two years.
Tony Sale, leader of the Colossus rebuild project, demos it at the National Museum of Computing
Today, Block C is derelict. We hope to help restore it to serve as a visitor and learning centre for both
Bletchley Park
and the UK’s
National Museum of Computing
. The fund-raising campaign kicked off this week with a Google-supported
garden party
in the Bletchley Park grounds, at which over £10,000 was raised. We still have a long way to go, though, so if you’d like to contribute,
please donate
at the Bletchley Park website.
If you’re in London, Bletchley Park is less than an hour away by train, and well worth an afternoon’s visit. You can see a working replica of Colossus, along with many other exhibits highlighting wartime work at Bletchley Park and the UK’s rich computing heritage.
Posted by Peter Barron, Director of External Relations for Europe, Middle East and Africa
Research Institute for Internet and Society in Berlin
Monday, July 11, 2011
The Internet is changing society. And it’s also true that society is changing the Internet, through the choices we all make on the web every day.
For Google, the point at which the Internet and society intersect is fascinating. Seeing different perspectives and understanding cultural nuances is critical to how we develop our services.
That’s why, back in February 2011, our Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt that we would support the establishment of an
Institute for Internet and Society
in Berlin. So we’re pleased to report that this initiative is now gathering pace and that four highly renowned German research institutions have agreed to join with us in founding the Institute.
The
Humboldt University
(HU), the
University of the Arts
(UdK) and the
Social Science Research Center Berlin
(WZB) as founding partners will each provide a director, underpinning the Institute’s international and interdisciplinary credentials. The Hamburg
Hans Bredow Institute
(HBI) joins the Institute as a co-operation partner.
Each body will second a faculty member to the Institute. Together, they will provide new insights into how society interacts with the internet. The researchers, and their topic areas are:
Prof. Dr. jur. Dr. h.c. Ingolf Pernice
(Humboldt University): Internet and constitutional law
Dr. Jeanette Hofmann
(WZB): Internet governance and policy
Prof. Dr. Dr. Thomas Schildhauer
(UdK): Internet-based innovation and the economy
Dr. Wolfgang Schulz
(HBI): Media governance
Academic independence is a key founding principle of the Institute. The
structure
of the Institute and the credentials of the directors - and of the independent Scientific Advisory Board, currently being appointed - will ensure that this is upheld.
The founding team:
Prof. Schildhauer, Dr. Hofmann, Dr. Schulz, Prof. Pernice
The Institute will be officially opened in late October 2011, with an international symposium. Between now and then, there is much work to be done: contracts have to be finalised, rooms renovated, the research agenda formulated. We have found great institutions and great people as partners, and we think they will produce great results too. We hope to see you in October, and that you’ll follow the work of the Institute closely.
Posted by Max Senges, Google Policy, Germany
Google Ideas Launches Summit Against Violent Extremism
Monday, June 27, 2011
When Google decided to set up a think/do tank, we vowed to avoid the safe route.
Google Ideas seeks to bring the ideas of a wide range of thinkers to bear on the most vexing and intractable challenges of the 21st century. Some of these challenges are aligned with our core business and others with our philanthropic mission. Some are hugely important but few have been willing to tackle them because they are controversial. Given that technology has demonstrated it can be part of every problem, we want to make sure it is part of every solution. We hope to tackle the thorniest of issues.
Challenges such as violent extremism.
Why does a 13-year old boy in a tough neighborhood in South Central LA join a gang? Why does a high school student in a quiet, Midwestern American town sign on neo-Nazis who preach white supremacy? Why does a young woman in the Middle East abandon her family and future and become a suicide bomber?
In order to advance our understanding, Google Ideas is today convening the Summit Against Violent Extremism, bringing together former gang members, right-wing extremists, jihadists and militants in Dublin for three days of debates and workshops. All these “formers” have rejected violence and are working for groups recognized by governments and law enforcement that fight extremism. Extremists have taken advantage of new Internet technologies to spread their message. We believe technology also can become part of the solution, helping to engineer a turn away from violence.
We’re also inviting survivors of violent extremism who are engaged in some of the most important activism around this issue. They will remind us of the horrors and loss associated with the challenge of violent extremism. Representatives from civil society, along with a stellar group of academics, will participate and provide additional texture.
Our partners in this venture are the Council on Foreign Relations, which will look at the policy implications, and the Tribeca Film Festival, which emerged out of the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on the the World Trade Center and which will explore the role of film and music on and in fighting extremism.
Together, we aim to initiate a global conversation on how best to prevent young people from becoming radicalised and how to de-radicalise others. The ideas generated at the Dublin summit will be included in a study to be published later in the year. We are undertaking this project without preconceptions. We aren’t expecting quick answers or “silver bullets.” Instead, we’re looking to increase understanding of a critical problem and find some new approaches to combat it. Stay tuned as we attempt to marry ideas and action.
Posted by Jared Cohen, Director, Google Ideas
A great moment for the free flow of information
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Cross-posted from the
Google Public Policy Blog
International organisations are stepping up in defence of protecting and advancing the free flow of information online.
A high-level United Nations representative has issued a clarion call promoting freedom of expression. In a
report
released earlier this month in Geneva, the UN’s Special Rapporteur
Frank La Rue
argued that restricting the flow of information via Internet blackouts violates human rights.
For the developing world, the UN’s Special Rapporteur sees access to the Internet as a crucial tool for fighting back inequality and spurring economic growth. The Special Rapporteur argues that governments should strive "to make the Internet widely available, accessible and affordable to all." At the same time, he urges resistance to attempts by powerful governments to block Internet access.
In the developed world, the UN report opposes “three strikes” Internet laws, which are designed by governments to discourage Internet file-sharers. For instance, France and the United Kingdom are trying to employ new laws that would allow authorities to get users’ Internet unplugged permanently for illegal downloads.
We look forward to approval of the report by the United Nations General Assembly when it meets in September.
The report is already generating positive momentum in Europe and elsewhere. A group of UK Parliamentarians have put forward a
motion
demanding that the government review its website blocking plans.
The UN Special Rapporteur also has joined with representatives from the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
, the
Organisation of American States
, and the
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
to issue a ringing
joint declaration
in defence of free expression on the Internet. The declaration sets out several important principles, including:
Freedom of expression applies to the Internet, as it does to all means of communication. Any restrictions are acceptable only in the rarest of occasions when prescribed by law and if in compliance with international standards.
Internet service providers that provide the platform for free expression cannot be held liable for illegal or harmful content generated by third parties.
Mandatory blocking of websites or IP addresses represents an extreme measure, analogous to the prohibition of a newspaper, radio, or television station.
The “single publication rule” should be respected. It holds that damages can be recovered only once for any single piece of content.
Mr. La Rue toured Europe recently to build support for his report. When he visited The Hague, the Dutch government offered strong support and announced plans to host a global Ministerial Conference on online Freedom of Expression in the Netherlands in the autumn. So watch this space for updates on the battle to keep the Internet open for a free and open exchange of ideas and opinions.
Posted by William Echikson, Head of Free Expression Policy, Europe, Middle East and Africa
Helping African artists manage their rights globally
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The
contribution
made by African musicians and their music throughout history is unquestionable. The continent’s musical landscape is rich and contributes not just entertainment value but also a way of sharing tradition and culture. Unfortunately, even today, only a few African artists have been able to make money from the popularity of their music, and most of them struggle to make a living or to get the recognition they deserve. Inefficient rights management systems, difficulties in cross-border licensing and payment, and other challenges, mean that artists frequently don’t earn as much money as they should from their work.
In order to address some of these challenges, the
World Intellectual Property Organisation
(WIPO), has undertaken a number of initiatives intended to benefit musicians in Africa. Among the initiatives, is a collaboration between WIPO and Google focused on building software that will make it easier, faster, and simpler for musicians and composers in 11 West African countries to get paid for the use of their music worldwide - and help increase their music’s visibility internationally at the same time.
When a broadcaster plays a song on the radio, a movie studio includes that song on a film soundtrack, or a music service streams it to consumers, they need to know who owns the rights to that song and obtain a license. One of the places they might consult to figure out who owns the rights is a collecting society--an organization dedicated to managing rights for composers, musicians and performers. You might need to contact a music publisher, or a record company, or the artists directly. Information on rights can be hard to find, impeding revenue opportunities for artists.
The 11 countries in question -- Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo -- sought a solution for this problem, and asked WIPO to come up with a solution that would allow information on their music to be more widely shared. With Google as its pro bono technology partner, WIPO will improve its
existing rights-management software
to do just that.
The aim is to make it easier and more efficient for artists to get paid for their work. Performers, composers, record labels and music publishers will be able to register their music and have that information automatically shared and globally accessible. Current and potential licensees will be able to work out who owns the rights to a work more efficiently, and information about how these licensees are using these works will be immediately available to all these countries’ collection societies, replacing what is often now a manual process of updating various databases.
By working with rights holders and public institutions like WIPO, Google aims to contribute open technology solutions, making it easier for new online services to emerge and for consumers to discover and access creative works. In the case of music in developing countries, this need is especially important: African artists can now reach a global audience and get paid, but only if the rights management information is readily available. This collaboration will considerably help make this happen and we are proud to be helping WIPO in furthering the dissemination of African culture and helping African artists reach listeners around the world.
You can learn more about this project on
WIPO's website
.
Posted by Ory Okolloh, Policy and Government Relations Manager, Google Africa
Labels
Academics
18
Advertising
10
Africa
26
Austria
7
Belgium
25
Big Tent
11
Bosnia and Herzegovina
2
Browsers
1
Brussels Tech Talk
7
Bulgaria
5
Campus
2
Child Safety
24
Cloud computing
17
Competition
16
Computer Science
35
Computing Heritage
37
Consumers
11
controversial content
2
COP21
1
copyright
34
Crisis Response
2
Culture
116
Czech Republic
16
Data Centre
15
Denmark
4
Digital News Initiative
6
Digital Single Market
1
Diversity
7
Economic Impact of the Internet
57
Economy
24
Elections
7
Energy + Environment
16
Engineering
6
Environment
5
Estonia
6
European Commission
21
European Parliament
14
European Union
104
exhibitions
1
Finland
13
France
77
Free Expression
88
Free flow of information
47
German
1
Germany
65
Google for Entrepreneurs
9
Google in Europe Blog
846
Google Play
1
Google TechTalk
2
Google Translate
1
Google Trends
3
Google+
4
Greece
16
Growth Engine
3
Hackathon
3
Hungary
16
Innovation
70
Internet Governance
7
IP
10
Ireland
16
Israel
17
Italy
42
Journalism
34
Latvia
1
Lithuania
1
Luxembourg
3
Maps
17
Middle East
18
Netherlands
6
News
2
News Lab
1
North Africa
6
Norway
3
online
1
Online Safety
2
Open data
8
Open Government
7
Open source
2
Poland
24
Portugal
6
Power of Data
25
privacy
49
Publishing
30
Right to be Forgotten
9
Rio+20
1
Romania
3
Russia
18
Safer Internet Day
4
San Marino
1
Science
5
Security
7
Single Market
7
Slovakia
16
Slovenia
2
SMEs
24
Spain
39
Startups
6
State of the Union
2
STEM Education
36
Street View
38
Surveillance
1
Sweden
13
Switzerland
11
Telecoms
11
The Netherlands
4
Tourism
1
Transparency
12
Tunisia
4
Turkey
3
Ukraine
3
United Kingdom
94
Vatican
2
Youth
2
YouTube
42
Archive
2016
Sep
Introducing YouTube Creators for Change
Announcing a Google.org grant for XperiBIRD.be, a ...
Bringing education to refugees in Lebanon with the...
Juncker embraces creators -- and their concerns
Tour 10 Downing Street with Google Arts and Culture
European copyright: there's a better way
Digital News Initiative: Introducing the YouTube P...
#AskJuncker: YouTube creators to interview the Eur...
An extinct world brought back to life with Google ...
Project Muze: Fashion inspired by you, designed by...
Come Play with us
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2015
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2014
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2013
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2012
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2011
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2010
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2009
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Feed
Give us feedback in our
Product Forums
.
