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<font face="Verdana">To add to this very important discussion, when
we seek new privacy norms and frameworks, we must also first
inspect the current regimes. Just because vested interests tell
us, and some of us are naive to believe it, it </font><font
face="Verdana">is </font><font face="Verdana">of course not true
that there are no existing 'policy' regimes around the global
Internet. <br>
<br>
What are these.<br>
<br>
Just yesterday or so, Facebook said that it is updating its
privacy provisions. This follows a settlement with a US court. <a
href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/08/29/facebooks-new-rules-change-how-it-treats-your-data-and-who-can-access-it/">Quoting
Facebook spokesperson,</a> " </font><font face="Verdana">Facebook
is proposing this update as part of a settlement in a court case
relating to advertising.”<br>
<br>
We can see here that the US state is setting the global privacy
norms. For others, it is a take it or leave it.<br>
<br>
Next, the Trans- Atlantic Trade Agreement to be negotiated between
the US and the EU will see some serious give and take on what
would become the global privacy frameworks. The give and take, in
the secret and narrowly self-interest driven processes of pluri
lateral trade agreements, would largely be of a non-normative
nature. It will be more of what do I gain, what can I live with,
what people will say when they know, kind of stuff..... All this
of a kind much worse than what happens in multilateral settings. <br>
<br>
The above kind of processes will soon set what would be more or
less the final privacy frameworks for the global Internet.<br>
<br>
Do those who so passionately argue for keeping governemnts away
from 'Internet regulation', which includes developing and
enforcing global privacy frameworks, really not realise that
governemnts, as above, are already doing it, and solidly so. And
the same governments who are 'doing it' so enthusiastically
(including through funds) encourage the 'multistakeholder
constituency' to fight against regulation of the Internet, which
basically serves the very useful purpose for these government of
keeping the developjng countires away from the levers of global
governance. This is turn helps consolidate the North's
geo-economic and geo-political (and geo-cultural) advantage (more
of the US than of others). So, in whose hands is the civil society
really playing, whether they realise it or not.<br>
<br>
In all that is happening on the global privacy regulation front,
as described above, developing countries are simply spectators.
They are told - when we are done, we will let you know. And then,
as was done with CoE's cyber-security agreement or is currently
being done with the OECD's Internet policy making principles, we
will ask you to sign on the pre-agreed policy framework, which you
bloody well will do, if you do not want to be knocked off the
global Internet's 'best opportunities'. <br>
<br>
I heard the term 'politics of justice' mentioned on this list.
Global justice demands that the bogey of the US and its Northern
follower governments, and of the big global business (and all
their allies), stealthy developing Internet regulation and
architecture, behind the smoke screen of the Internet freedom and
multistakeholderism, is called. This calls for seeking democratic
global governance of the Internet, while being very careful as we
suggest and develop new institutions. <br>
<br>
Above I discuss just how privacy frameworks - regulation and
architecture - for the global Internet is being developed, and
what are the stakes for those who seek global justice. Similar
process are under way in terms of many other social, economic,
cultural and political issues, of deep importance to the
developing countries, and to marginalised populations. This is the
imperative for democratising global governance of the Internet.
Bring out in the open which is happenning in the background, and
have a greater chance of normative discussions, and greater civil
society influence. <br>
<br>
parminder <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</font>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On Sunday 01 September 2013 02:04 AM,
Ian Peter wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:3CB796A02CAE419EAE5DB5686FE0E3E4@Toshiba"
type="cite">not sure I am as pessimistic about this as both of
you. There are plenty of examples in history where international
agreements have regulated matters where countries have agreed, for
the greater good, to regulate or stop previous actions. The Geneva
Convention is one example, outlawing of poison gases after WW1
(worked for a while) is another.
<br>
<br>
I am sure also that regularly in trade treaties countries give up
certain actions in return for other advantages.
<br>
<br>
In the case of the Internet, it may well be that an open available
trusted global network - which can only be achieved if espionage
is contained - is the greater good that leads to a decent
regulatory regime.
<br>
<br>
<br>
Ian Peter
<br>
<br>
-----Original Message----- From: Norbert Bollow
<br>
Sent: Sunday, September 01, 2013 6:07 AM
<br>
To: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:bestbits@lists.bestbits.net">bestbits@lists.bestbits.net</a> ; IRP
<br>
Subject: Re: [IRPCoalition] [bestbits] Position by IT for Change
and some other NGOs on enhanced cooperation
<br>
<br>
McTim <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:dogwallah@gmail.com"><dogwallah@gmail.com></a> wrote:
<br>
<br>
<blockquote type="cite">Am I happy
<br>
that the US snoops on both domestic and foreign voice and data
<br>
traffic? No, certainly not. Do I think that any kind of treaty
or
<br>
int'l framework would stop them? Again the answer is no,
certainly
<br>
not.
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
I agree.
<br>
<br>
The problem cannot be solved without effective encryption.
<br>
<br>
Some kind of treaty or other international framework or other form
of
<br>
international cooperation might however help us get to the point
where
<br>
communications via the Internet are routinely encrypted in an
<br>
effective manner.
<br>
<br>
Greetings,
<br>
Norbert
<br>
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<br>
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<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
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