[bestbits] Society for Knowledge Commons statement on High Level Committee iteration of the NetMundial Outcome Document

[Rishab Bailey]

Hi All,

Please find appended below a statement from Knowledge Commons on the High
Level Committee iteration of the NetMundial Outcome Document. The statement
can also be accessed on the Knowledge Commons website at www.kcbrasil.org

Regards
Rishab Bailey
(for the Society for Knowledge Commons)

****

*Knowledge Commons Statement on the latest iteration of the NetMundial
Outcome Document*


On 14 April 2014, the High Level Committee (HLC) of NetMundial published
the latest version of the draft outcome document at
*http://document.netmundial.br/
<http://document.netmundial.br/>*


This document has numerous changes to the draft document prepared by the
Executive Stakeholder Committee, which Knowledge Commons has previously
commented on<http://www.knowledgecommons.in/brasil/en/internet-governance-meeting-in-brasil-23-24/statement-on-draft-netmundial-document-leaked-by-wikileaks-on-8-april-2014/>.



Having read and
analysed<http://www.knowledgecommons.in/brasil/en/internet-governance-meeting-in-brasil-23-24/submissions-to-netmundial/>all
187 submissions made to the meeting, it is our considered view that
the
latest draft of the outcome document significantly waters down many of the
progressive positions mentioned in the first iteration prepared by the
Executive Stakeholder Committee.


*First,* The document does not adequately respond to and prohibit mass
surveillance – which was one of the issues that prompted the call for this
meeting in the first place.  The document has dropped reference to
“necessary and proportionate” principles and does not prohibit the
practices of targeting innocent civilians around the world of which Snowden
has made us all aware



*Second, *the deletion of references to an international agreement to
protect against cyber warfare is a serious concern. As more and more
critical infrastructure resources around the world are maintained and
operated through digital mechanisms, ensuring the security of these
installations from targeted attacks is critical.  Such an agreement is the
core business of governments.



*Third, *the document departs from accepted notions of multistakeholderism
as notably enshrined in the Tunis Agenda by recommending that all
stakeholders be placed on an equal footing, irrespective of their roles and
responsibilities. This turns the concept of representative democracy on its
head by permitting those with financial interests to frustrate the will of
legitimate and representative organisations.



*Fourth, *the document attempts to ensure accountability and transparency
of multistakeholder organizations including by putting in place periodic
reporting requirements. We continue to believe that there would be greater
utility in clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of various
stakeholders and specifying the elements of a minimum standard set of
guidelines, operating procedures, or the identification of an entity to
elaborate these modalities for multistakeholder fora.



*Fifth, *the document fails to recognize the need for a separation between
policy processes and operational aspects of ICANN. We believe there is a
need to ensure structures are put in place that can ensure public policy is
framed in a legitimate, representative fashion.  It is essential that the
role of governments within ICANN be spelt out and re-affirmed.



By watering down the language on transition on IANA functions and the
restructured role of ICANN, we believe that the High Level Committee has
missed an opportunity to ensure global pressure on the USA to relinquish
control over a resource that is a global commons.


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