1. Virtual Policy ‘08 BERR Conference Centre July 22 nd & 23 rd, 2008 Leigh Jackson Deputy-Director, Business Engagement BERR Communications & Content Industries Unit Virtual Policy ’08 Conference BERR Conference Centre, July 22-23 rd 2008

2. Virtual Policy ‘08 BERR Conference Centre July 22 nd & 23 rd, 2008 What is BERR’s involvement in this? BERR and UK-IPO project on innovation & governance issues re virtual worlds Potential of virtual worlds: –Innovation & collaboration –Scale, reach & growth Awareness of regulatory pressures Need for an international bird’s-eye-view involving IGF, OECD and other key fora Supporting Virtual Policy 08  stakeholder evidence

3. Virtual Policy ‘08 BERR Conference Centre July 22 nd & 23 rd, 2008 What will project aim to do? Identify & showcase stunning innovation & good governance practice in relevant forums Encourage level-headed, informed, debate about governance issues among key international stakeholders Intended milestones: –Virtual Policy ‘08 (BERR, London, July 22-23, 2008) –Internet Governance Forum (Hyderabad, December, 2008); –OECD Technology Foresight Conference (Paris, Spring, 2009)

4. Virtual Policy ‘08 BERR Conference Centre July 22 nd & 23 rd, 2008 Quote from WSJ op-ed page last week: “If current trends hold, the internet will evolve into a 3-D space and virtual worlds will become an integral part of human communication. Real life will never be the same….” (Benjamin Duranske, Wall Street Journal, 17 th July 2008)