the Virtual Policy Network (tVPN)

is a think tank dedicated to stimulating a balanced policy debate about virtual worlds, online games and other convergent media - with the goal of maximizing the social good of these technologies.

tVPN brings together industry, policy makers, academics and civil society through events, research projects and online debate. This site contains a database of policy resources including briefings, event summaries and videos, and guides to global governance any policy making.

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Virtual World Primer
Internet Governance Timeline
Event Calendar 2009 /10
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Dynamic Coalition on Convergent Media

News

DISE:10 Games, Media Law


Digital Interactive Symposium: Edinburgh

27 August 2010 (10:00 – 16:00)

John McIntyre Conference Centre, Pollock Halls, the University of Edinburgh.

Overview

The Digital Interactive Symposium: Edinburgh (DIS:E) is an annual event organized by the Virtual Policy Network in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh.

The Digital Interactive Symposium: Edinburgh 2010 focuses on the legal issues of computer games, virtual worlds and the issues that arise from the convergence of new and traditional media. Speakers include both academics and practicing lawyers.

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Net Neutrality consultations: EU and UK

A number of bodies around the world are conducting various forms of action in respect of so-called Network Neutrality. While the United States’ FCC (Federal Communications Commission) public consultation phase (see FCC News Release) has just closed the EU and UK are currently in consultation phases that end in September 2010.

the Virtual Policy Network encourages the online games, social media, location based and augmented reality industries, interested academics and policy makers to respond to these request for comments.

Specifically tVPN draws actors’ attention to some of the unique aspects of these technologies that might not be highlighted from the digital elements of traditional media industries. Such specific may include:

  • Importance of ping times to some types of gaming
  • Equal access a range data sources in populating augmented reality layers

Further details on the European consultations, including background documents, consultation question, reply dates and response details follow.

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World Bank’s Virtual Economy project

The World Bank’s infoDev is launching a research and innovation project into the potential of the Virtual Economy to aid Developing Nations. The project titled “Converting the Virtual Economy into Development Potential” is co-sponsored by the UK Government’s Department for International Development’s (DFID) Research4Development (R4D) program (see: http://www.research4development.info).

The two year project has three main phases as follows:

1. Knowledge map on the virtual economy.
2. Report on business opportunities and business models to convert the virtual economy into development potential
3. Workshop and research dissemination using virtual economy tools

More information can be found on the infoDev site: Converting the Virtual Economy into Development Potential

tVPN Licenses under Creative Commons

Creative Commons License

tVPN was created to maximize social flourishing through virtual worlds, social media, computer games and other convergent media. As part of this mission we seek to make information as widely known as possible. To this end all content on the tVPN site is now licensed under Creative Commons unless stated other wise. We encourage any group wishing to commission or work with tVPN to follow this practice where practicable.

Small print tVPN is using the standard Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License, standard form details are as follows: the Virtual Policy Network by the Virtual Policy Network is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 UK: England & Wales License. Based on a work at www.virtualpolicy.net. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.virtualpolicy.net.

tVPN on Twitter

tVPN has added twitter to its stable of social media resources. The twitter feed can be found at http://twitter.com/VirtualPolicy. This compliments the tVPN Facebook group and YouTube Channel.

Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2009

November 2009 in Sharm el Sheikh marked the 5th annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) – a meeting convened under the auspices of the United Nations with the purpose of bringing together a wide range of groups to discuss matters of internet governance.

Quick Links:

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UN IGF: Public Diplomacy in the Digital Age

The UK Government’s Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) has proposed a workshop on virtual worlds and public diplomacy to be held as part of the 2009 United Nations’ Internet Governance Forum meeting being held between 15 and 18 of November 2009 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

Wednesday 18th (Day 4) 15:30 – 17:00 Room 9 – Siwa Room.

tVPN / UK Government 2009 IGF workshop on virtual worlds – Official Workshop Summary (.pdf)(.doc)

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Tax breaks, Game Ratings & the UK Game Dev

24 September 2009 LSE: tVPN in conjunction with the IGDA (Independent Game Developers Association) hosted a policy evening at the London School of Economics.

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Newsletter June 2009

CONTENTS

> OECD: Virtual Worlds Report
> Council of Europe ‘New Notion of Media’
> EU Kids Online I & II
> Events: State of Play
> tVPN News

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EU Kids Online

The EU Kids Online research network concluded their work with a one day conference in London on 11 June 2009. The network also published a Final Report provides a unique summary of EU-Based research on children online.

The Final Report and other resources can be found on the network website here: http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/EUKidsOnline/

Your attention is drawn in particular to the Online Database of European Research (Repository) collated by the network.

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