ISPA UK Confirms Internet Hero and Villain Shortlist for 2013 Awards

The UK Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) has today announced the finalists for their annual Internet Hero and Internet Villain gongs at the forthcoming 2013 internet industry awards, which this year appears to be dominated by issues of online surveillance and privacy related matters.

Last year saw B4RN (Broadband for the Rural North) crowned as Internet Hero for their efforts to bring a community supported FTTH fibre optic broadband service to isolated parts of rural northern Lancashire.

Similarly the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) was named Internet Villain for its “internet governance land-grab“, which could potentially have resulted in a less open and free internet that would be “controlled by governments in a top-down manner“. But this year it’s almost all about surveillance.

Nicholas Lansman, ISPAs Secretary General, said:

“The Hero and Villain Awards are the two most anticipated categories at the ISPAs. Given what has happened in the last year, it is no surprise that surveillance dominates this year’s shortlists. Thank you to members of the public for their suggestions and I look forward to finding out who wins on the night.

The awards are a fantastic night to celebrate the best of the British internet industry, and whilst Hero & Villain cover serious issues, they are light hearted in nature. The 2013 awards are the 15th ISPAs, showing how resilient and successful the sector has been.”

Internet Hero Finalists 2013

• Deputy Prime Minister, Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP – For preventing the Communications Data Bill.

• Julian Huppert MP – For leading political opposition against the Communications Data Bill.

• Edward Snowdon – For exposing the PRISM surveillance project being run by the US government and calling for a debate around surveillance in the digital age.

• Spamhaus – For fending off a significant global cyber-attack in the spring.

Internet Villain Finalists 2013

• Bluecoat et al – For selling surveillance technologies and equipment to unfavourable regimes.

• Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Erdogan – For condemning social media as a ‘menace to society’, when he should recognise the value of the internet in a democracy.

• Home Secretary Rt Hon Theresa May MP – For pushing ahead with the Communications Data Bill, despite criticism from industry.

• The PRISM Project – For running a surveillance programme that appears to have operated without proper safeguards and little transparency.

All of the winners will be unveiled on the 11th July 2013 at the Park Lane Sheraton Hotel in London (England)..

For more information go to:
http://www.ispaawards.org.uk