The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe will hold a briefing on new media on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 2:00 p.m. in Room 1539 of the Longworth House Office Building in Washington, DC.

This briefing will consider the ways in which new media and Internet communication technologies affect the balance of power between human rights activists and authoritarian governments. Panelists will focus on new media's role in protests and elections, the ways in which it empowers civil society activists, and how dictators use new technology to control and repress their citizens.

The following panelists are scheduled to speak:

• Daniel Calingaert, Deputy Director of Programs, Freedom House
• Nathan Freitas, Adjunct Professor, New York University Interactive Telecom Program; developer of groundbreaking technology for protests
• Evgeny Morozov, Yahoo! Fellow at Georgetown University's E.A. Walsh School of Foreign Service; contributing editor, Foreign Policy
• Chris Spence, Chief Technology Officer, NDI