ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the development of negotiations and of technology, and examines the 'democratization' of verification, particularly the role for academia, non-governmental organizations and the media. Verification is a process which establishes whether all parties are complying with their obligations under an agreement. The process of verification consists of multiple steps that can be either unilateral or cooperative in nature, or both. Verification can often play a confidence-building role, for example in the process of election monitoring, verification of arms reductions and so on. The design of verification regimes determines whether the likelihood of catching significant cheating is very high or is low. While some states may wish to turn the clock back and prevent, non-governmental organizations and the news media – anyone with a few thousand dollars at their disposal – are able to commission commercial satellites or buy 'off the shelf data.
