Today Tod Cohen, eBay Inc. Vice President of Global Government Relations and Deputy General Counsel, spoke at the Contested Spaces Conference in London, England.  Hosted by eBay and King’s College of London, the Contest Spaces Conference was designed to bring together key figures from the worlds of political campaigning, business, technology policymaking and academia to examine the Internet’s impact on electoral politics, society, commerce and government.  Explaining eBay’s role in sponsoring the event, Tod said:

“We really wanted to sponsor today’s conference because fundamentally we believe passionately as a company in the power of the Internet to connect people locally and globally - whether buyers and sellers, friends and family, or governments and citizens -  and that through those connections, and by bringing people together, we can ultimately improve people’s lives. 

But we also wanted to support this event for another reason.  Because while politicians are increasingly turning to the Internet to win the battle of ideas, it is also increasingly a battleground in itself, with lots of different interests contesting this space – whether it is governments, law enforcement, business, or just ordinary citizens vying for control.  And if information is power, the issue of who controls the Internet must surely be one of the most fundamental questions of our age, and should therefore be the subject of endless study and vigorous debate in forums such as this.”

As the first of many Contested Spaces Conferences, today’s event focused on the impact the Internet has had on politics in various parts of the world, including the 2012 U.S. presidential election, radical movements in the Arab world, and elections in Africa.  Guest speakers included members of U.S. President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign committee, members of the digital advocacy group Red Edge, and representatives from various European political parties.  eBay Inc. looks forward to participating in future Contested Spaces Conferences.

Visit the 2013 Contested Spaces Conference page and learn more about the agenda and participants.