[governance] Internet Governance Report "No Future for the Internet"
Ronda Hauben
ronda at panix.com
Fri Sep 23 09:05:37 EDT 2005
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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