On 12/1, The Economist reported on the WCIT in Dubai. That conference starts today. If you’re reading this blog, you likely know about the WCIT and ITU, but the jist of the issue is that the WCIT may allow authoritarian governments to push for greater government control of the internet. That conflicts with the U.S. view, which prefers the “ragtag bunch of academics, engineers, firms and non-profit outfits [that] have been in charge.” The U.S. delegation to WCIT says it will fight against any proposal suggesting greater government control or infringing upon free speech.
Of course, it doesn’t help that the ITU has been less than transparent throughout this entire thing. The Economist notes that the ITU’s president “dismisses the notion of a takeover of the internet as ridiculous,” yet new proposals leak everyday suggesting quite the opposite. Just take a glance at WCITLeaks.
Finally, The Economist article explores issues over network neutrality rules and broadband fees for poorer countries. Noting that the fear over WCIT may be overblown, the greater danger is deadlock “[t]hat might encourage a large pack of nations to set up their own internet regime . . ..”
You can find the rest of The Economist article here.
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