[Advocacy Advisors] More governmental control over the internet via ITU?

Wed Aug 29 19:55:46 UTC 2012

Hi All,

We thought this update might be of interest to you.  This update was kindly
provided by EDRI-gram and the original can be found
here<http://edri.org/edrigram/number10.16/itu-debates-internet-regulation>
.

Hope you enjoy!
-Michelle

Some governments want more control over the Internet via ITU
=======================================================================

There has lately been controversy over proposals made by several countries,
such as Russia and China, to give more control over the Internet to the UN
International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

Key functions of the internet as naming, numbering, addressing and
identification are now carried out by ICANN, based in the US independent
IANA, and national and regional agencies. Presently, ITU has some managing
powers of the internet, such as promoting IPv6 awareness and coordinating
international cybersecurity efforts. ITU?s international telecommunications
regulations (ITRS), a treaty dating since 1988 (therefore before the
existence of the web) are now under discussions to be revised and
therefore, several parties have made proposals for the revision of the
regulations. The Russian premier Vladimir Putin said in a meeting with ITU
chief Hamadoun Toure: "We are thankful to you for the ideas that you have
proposed for discussion. One of them is establishing international control
over the internet using the monitoring and supervisory capabilities of the
International Telecommunication Union."

In September 2011, countries like China, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan,
submitted a proposal to the UN general assembly for an "international code
of conduct for information security with the purpose to set up
government-led "international norms and rules standardising the behaviour
of countries concerning information and cyberspace".

In December 2012 in Dubai, ITU members will discuss, among other things,
the introduction of the internet into ITU existing regulatory framework.
Although the preparation of the meeting is kept secret, WCITleaks.org has
revealed the proposals for ITU to take over more control powers.

EU digital commissioner Neelie Kroes stated on 24 August 2012 that,
although the governments might have more to say in the way the Internet
runs, she was against ITU taking over control of the internet although some
governments might have other opinions: "Of course there are voices saying
it would be better with the UN [but] I'm not in favour of the line that, if
you have a problem, you can only solve it in a new structure," Kroes who
added:"I still think that the remarks that are made [about giving
governments a greater voice] can be included in a solution within the
structure of today," she said. "I'm not aware that that can't be done, so
I'm not willing to (favour) a new structure."

While the US Congress opposes the proposal of the UN agency to take control
over the Internet, it is also not even clear whether ITU wants to assume
this kind of control. Hamadoun Toure said there was "no single reference to
Internet governance in the preparation document".

No need for UN to take over internet, says EU digital chief Kroes
(24.08.2012)
http://www.zdnet.com/no-need-for-un-to-take-over-internet-says-eu-digital-chief-kroes-7000003145/

The fight for control of the internet has become critical (22.08.2012)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/22/fight-control-internet-become-critical

-- 
Michelle Paulson
Legal Counsel
Wikimedia Foundation
149 New Montgomery Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
mpaulson at wikimedia.org
415.839.6885 ext. 6608 (Office)
415.882.0495 (Fax)

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