<div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: "Josh Levy, Access" <<a href="mailto:access@accessnow.org">access@accessnow.org</a>><br>Date: Oct 25, 2014 11:08 AM<br>Subject: ITU unlocked - now what?<br>To: "Carolina Rossini" <<a href="mailto:carolina.rossini@gmail.com">carolina.rossini@gmail.com</a>><br>Cc: <br><br type="attribution"><u></u>
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<a href="https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717ce04/13aebe8c/719abcc7/1de2a9c7/1625144474/VEsH/" title="https://www.accessnow.org/blog/2014/10/23/what-to-watch-at-the-itu-plenipotentiary-conference-2014" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="187" src="https://www.accessnow.org/page/-/img/campaigns/ITU_transparency_web.jpg" width="300"></a></p>
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<a href="https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717ce04/13aebe8c/719abcc7/1de2a9c7/1625144474/VEsE/" title="https://www.accessnow.org/blog/2014/10/23/what-to-watch-at-the-itu-plenipotentiary-conference-2014" target="_blank"><strong>Now that the ITU has responded to public pressure and opened up, let's keep an eye on what's happening at Plenipot14. Check out the Access policy brief to find out more.</strong></a></p>
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<a href="https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717ce04/13aebe8c/719abcc7/1de2a9c7/1625144474/VEsF/" title="https://www.accessnow.org/blog/2014/10/23/what-to-watch-at-the-itu-plenipotentiary-conference-2014" target="_blank"><strong><img alt="" height="64" src="https://www.accessnow.org/page/-/img/campaigns/learnmore.jpg" width="212"></strong></a></p>
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Carolina,</p>
<p>
Thanks to massive public pressure, the ITU is opening up.</p>
<p>
Earlier this week, thousands of you joined a coalition of civil society groups — organized with partners through the Best Bits Working Group — to urge the International Telecommunication Union to open up its "Plenipot" meeting to the public.</p>
<p>
<strong>This is great news.</strong> This means that the conversation about the future of the internet won’t take place entirely behind closed doors — and that the public will be able to keep the ITU in check as it seeks to make decisions affecting the open internet, privacy, and cybersecurity.</p>
<p>
Specifically, the ITU agreed to:</p>
<ul><li>
Livestream all plenary sessions and the substantive committee sessions,</li>
<li>
Create an online space for members of the public to submit their views,</li>
<li>
Hold regular briefings with civil society participants, and</li>
<li>
Make input and output documents available to the general public.</li>
</ul><p>
<strong>Now that the public has succeeded in getting the ITU to open up at least some of its process, it's time to focus on the substance of the discussions. Here's how you can follow along: </strong></p>
<ul><li>
Access has produced a <a href="https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717ce04/13aebe8c/719abcc7/1de2a9c7/1625144474/VEsC/" title="https://www.accessnow.org/blog/2014/10/23/what-to-watch-at-the-itu-plenipotentiary-conference-2014" target="_blank">policy brief</a> outlining what to watch for at the conference. Our partners at the Best Bits Working Group have also outlined a <a href="http://bestbits.net/itu-plenipot-notes/" target="_blank">set of recommendations</a>.</li>
<li>
You can also follow the webcast of the proceedings <a href="https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717ce04/13aebe8c/719abcc7/1de2a9c6/1625144474/VEsD/" title="http://www.itu.int/en/plenipotentiary/2014/Pages/webcast.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
<li>
Follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtags <a href="https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717ce04/13aebe8c/719abcc7/1de2a9c1/1625144474/VEsA/" title="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Plenipot14" target="_blank">#Plenipot14</a> and <a href="https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717ce04/13aebe8c/719abcc7/1de2a9c0/1625144474/VEsB/" title="https://twitter.com/hashtag/openitu?src=hash" target="_blank">#OpenITU</a>.</li>
</ul><p>
Issues to watch out for include conversations about content control in the name of cybersecurity, the creation of national borders online, and closing the digital divide — the main goal of ITU’s internet-related work for at least a decade.</p>
<p>
<strong>This conference is just getting started and public pressure is already making a difference.</strong> If we raise our voice we can stop the bad outcomes and support the good ones. So stay with us if you care about the future of the internet — and the public’s role in deciding it. The decisionmakers in Busan are our representatives, and they're accountable to all of us.</p>
<p>
Thanks,</p>
<p>
Josh Levy<br>
Access</p>
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<em>Access defends and extends the digital rights of users at risk around the world. By combining tech-driven policy, user engagement, and direct technical support, we fight for open and secure communications for all. To help protect the internet around the world, you can <a href="https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717ce04/13aebe8c/719abcc7/1de2a9c3/1625144474/VEsO/" title="https://www.accessnow.org/page/contribute/donate" target="_blank">donate to Access</a>. To reply, please email <a href="mailto:info@accessnow.org" target="_blank">info@accessnow.org</a>. </em><em>To unsubscribe, go to: </em><em><a href="https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717ce04/13aebe8c/719abcc7/1de2a9c2/1625144474/VEsP/" title="https://www.accessnow.org/unsubscribe" target="_blank">https://www.accessnow.org/unsubscribe</a>
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