[governance] Internet Governance Report "No Future for the Internet"

[Ronda Hauben]

Thanks to Adam for sending the url

On Fri, 23 Sep 2005, Adam Peake wrote:

> I just read the text below.
> Please read the chair's paper and send comments
> <http://www.itu.int/wsis/documents/doc_multi.asp?lang=en&id=1962|0>
>

I am struck by the fact that the UN is adopting a short range commercial 
view of the Internet that basically sets "No Future for the Internet"
as its future.

The Chair's paper says:

"b)	The private sector has had and should continue to have an 
important role in the development of the Internet, both in the technical 
and economic fields"

There would be no Internet today if this were true. The Internet is the 
result of international scientific research collaboration.

The future development of the Internet requires this same international 
scientific research collaboration.

To give the Internet over to the private sector and deny the continuing 
need for technical and scientific research for the continuing development 
of the Internet is to give the Internet over to become a commercial entity 
that doesn't even serve global business interests.

At the time of the research to create the Internet, there were a number of 
commercial networks that claimed to be creating a global network. None of 
these could succeed. Their view of of a network that they owned and 
managed. The Internet, to the contrary, was built as a way to make a 
network of networks, to make it possible to intercomment dissimilar 
networks. Open architecture is the principle that made this possible.
Whether or not commercial entities are involved in some of the equipment 
that involves the Internet now, this doesn't not make them the technical 
or economic owners or operators of the Internet. Essentially this role
has to be one that is overseen by those who have a researcher and 
scientific perspective. Business can look ahead 3 years, not 10 or 15 
years. The Internet needs a research and scientific oversight that looks 
ahead 10 or 15 years.

Also users are part of the Internet. Without users and their computers as 
active participants in the Internet and its development, there is no 
Internet. It becomes little more than another form of television.

I have already noted that the netizens, those users who are active to 
contribute to the Internet and its development, also should be recognized 
in any document discussing Internet governance.

  This all represents a very serious flaw and also conceptual mistake.

Perhaps this is what happens when the WGIG includes the business sector as 
a major stakeholder - rather than recognizing the need to see that the 
process of guiding the Internet and its future has to be a social, public,
international and noncommerical effort.

Perhaps also a problem with the report is that it doesn't have any 
conception of the vision that gave birth to the Internet, the vision for 
an interactive, collaborative, plastic environment where there is the need 
to have the citizens participate in its continuing development.

I provide some background about the vision in the paper I submitted to the
wgig before their meetings started. See:

The International Origins of the Internet
and the Impact of this Framework on its Future.
www.wgig.org/docs/Ronda-Hauben.doc

Also with regard to the concept of netizen, a helpful explanation is
in a blog by a graduate student in Korea. She writes:

"Netizen is not the word that point any casual internet users. "They are 
people who understand it takes effort and action on each and everyone's 
part to make the Net a regenerative and vibrant community and resource. 
Netizens are people who decide to devote time and effort into making the 
Net, this new part of our world, a better place." (by Michael Hauben, 
1995) This is a sophisticated concept. If you have the consciousness of 
social/political participation and take action, you can be a netizen. If 
you just enjoy web surfing, it's very hard to say that you are a netizen 
although you spend great time for the internet." by Heewon Kim

Misunderstandings about Netizen August 8, 2005
http://hypercortex.net/ver2/index.php?pl=4#t1

She also refers to a paper Izumi Aizu
Netizen Participation in Internet Governance September 5, 2005
http://hypercortex.net/ver2/index.php?pl=12

with best wishes

Ronda
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