[governance] Hmmmm... Google: "Internet Freedom!"... (from taxes?

Tue Dec 4 08:16:59 EST 2012

Conspiracy theorists of the world unite(?):

www.internetsociety.org/tpp

To the negotiating nations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement
   [image: Download PDF]
<http://www.internetsociety.org/sites/default/files/TPP%20-%20transparency%20statement%28co-signed%29.pdf>

The undersigned organizations would like to express their concern regarding
the procedural aspects of the negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership
(TPP) Agreement – especially, those relating to transparency and
inclusiveness.

Currently in its 15th round, the TPP has followed a procedural path that,
in our view, has not been sufficiently inclusive and transparent. The
process of negotiations has hitherto followed the traditional route of
involving only governments and governmental representatives. We understand
this approach to the extent that, historically, trade-‐related agreements
have always been conducted under a similar, behind-‐closed-‐doors
process. But, this is not a typical trade agreement; it involves issues
that also extend to the Internet and its platforms – and, this raises some
valid questions regarding process.

Back in 2005, during the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in
Tunis, Heads of States and government committed to the Tunis Agenda, which
included a section on Internet Governance. Paragraph 34 of the Tunis
Agenda, described Internet governance as “the development and application
by governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective
roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and
programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet”. By accepting
this working definition, Heads of States and government have subscribed to
the fact that all issues pertaining to the Internet, including those of
public policy, should be detached from traditional rule making and become
part of a new governance arrangement – one that is based on cooperation,
collaboration and partnership. Under the Tunis Agenda, Internet governance
is to be conducted through a multistakeholder framework, where each
stakeholder participates, offering different perspectives. In particular,
article 68 of the Tunis Agenda states: “[...] We also recognize the need
for development of public policy by governments in consultation with all
stakeholders”. We feel that multistakeholder governance should constitute
the foundation and the basis for all future policy work in the Internet
space.

Internet governance is not a monolithic concept and should not be
considered as such; it is constantly evolving to include all issues that,
directly or indirectly, affect the Internet and its technologies. One such
issue concerns the protection of intellectual property rights and the way
they are expressed in the Internet. The recent debate on SOPA and PIPA in
the United States as well as that of ACTA in the European Union manifested
that discussions on intellectual property are part of the Internet
governance landscape and they further necessitate a multistakeholder
approach. It is only through an inclusive process that all interested
parties can effectively engage and provide input on issues that will,
ultimately, have an impact on the way users experience the Internet and its
services.

In fact, various governments have started upholding multistakeholder
participation as their official Internet governance position. In the United
States, for instance, both Democrats and Republicans, in both Houses of
Congress, have affirmed the multistakeholder Internet governance model and
have unanimously passed resolutions making clear that the “consistent and
unequivocal policy of the United States [is] to promote a global Internet
free from government control [and] to preserve and advance the successful
multistakeholder model that governs the Internet today”.

In view of the fact that countries, including the United States, are
endorsing multistakeholder governance as their official position for all
Internet-‐related matters, it only makes sense for this model to be
repeated in this instance. We therefore urge the negotiators of the TPP to
make this process more transparent and inclusive, following the
multistakeholder model, at least for those chapters of the agreement
pertaining to the Internet. Allowing all interested parties to actively
participate and provide input during the negotiations, as called for by the
Tunis Agenda, would give a higher legitimacy to the process and, would
ensure a more informed agreement, bringing in technical, economic and
social perspectives.

Signed

The Internet Society (ISOC)
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
InternetNZ
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)

On 4 December 2012 05:32, Suresh Ramasubramanian <suresh at hserus.net> wrote:

> not a bad conspiracy theory, but pretty pedestrian for truthout
>
> --srs (iPad)
>
> On 04-Dec-2012, at 7:58, Guru गुरु <Guru at ITforChange.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> http://truth-out.org/news/item/13082-the-trans-pacific-partnership-what-free-trade-actually-means
>
>
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