[governance] FW: Our internet is at risk

Fri Jun 1 20:10:37 EDT 2012

On Thu, May 31, 2012 at 8:16 PM, Koven Ronald <kovenronald at aol.com> wrote:

> From my standpoint. this approach widely misses the point.
>
>  The ITU should be told to back off because Internet users don't want or
> need oversight by a UN agency controlled by its member governments.
>

+1

>
>  Telling ITU that we want to be part of its negotiation process concedes
> beforehand the idea that the ITU's bid to become the global Interent
> oversight body is legitimate.
>

+1

>
>  Asking to attend the ITU review meeting is a different matter, but
> asking to be included in the negotiating process -- even implicitly -- is a
> recognition that such a negotiation is acceptable.
>
>  The phrase in this text,  "Civil society needs a voice in the ITU
> negotiations," in effect concedes the point beforehand. It means the game
> would be over before it even got started.
>
>  Bests, Rony Koven, European Representative, World Press Freedom Committee
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: michael gurstein <gurstein at gmail.com>
> To: governance <governance at lists.igcaucus.org>
> Sent: Thu, May 31, 2012 4:13 pm
> Subject: [governance] FW: Our internet is at risk
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> *From:* Access Now [mailto:access at accessnow.org <access at accessnow.org?>]
> *Sent:* Thursday, May 31, 2012 7:26 AM
> *To:* Michael Gurstein
> *Subject:* Our internet is at risk
>
>     <https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd24/13a54daa/72fd7055/1de41c38/151709430/VEsH/>
> Countries like China and Russia are trying to expand the power of a closed
> UN body to give governments more control over the internet. Tell the ITU we
> don't want it deciding the future of the internet and to make its plans
> public!<https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd24/13a54daa/72fd7055/1de41c38/151709430/VEsE/>
> <https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd24/13a54daa/72fd7055/1de41c38/151709430/VEsF/>
>  Michael,
> The internet we’ve come to know and love -- one that's open,
> decentralized, and governed by many stakeholders -- *is threatened.*
>
> Right now, several countries, including China and Russia, are proposing to
> expand the powers of a non-transparent global institution, the
> International Telecommunication Union (ITU), *allowing it to change the
> rules on how our internet is used and governed.* And what's worse, the
> ITU won't even release their negotiating documents to the public or give
> internet users a seat at the table.
> *The ITU isn't used to public accountability, but together we can change
> that.* Let's tell the ITU that we don't want a secretive body where only
> governments have a vote deciding the future of our internet!
> *Click here to sign the petition demanding the ITU makes its plans public
> and we'll work on delivering the petition at their next planning meeting.*<https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd24/13a54daa/72fd7055/1de41c38/151709430/VEsC/>
> The ITU gives every country one vote -- *that's why it’s crucial we call
> upon our individual governments to support our cause.* Multi-stakeholder
> governance of the internet is one of the reasons we can so easily access
> sites around the world, share with our friends on social networks, and
> participate in a global community.
> Now, with the ITU renegotiating a new treaty this year, China, Russia, and
> others are pushing proposals that would give governments greater control
> over how you access the internet. *Imagine how that might impact your
> privacy, security, and freedom of speech online.*
> The ITU has played an important role in telecommunications and spectrum
> management and its use for development, but this is not cause for expanding
> its mandate. *While an evolution of internet governance is needed
> (including an examination of the role of the US), it should evolve in the
> same way that it was originally designed -- in an open, decentralized, and
> inclusive manner. *
>
> Civil society needs a voice in the ITU negotiations. We've cosigned a
> letter with other organizations including the CDT (USA), CIS (India), FGV
> (Brazil), EFF (USA), and EIPR (Egypt) urging all stakeholders to be a part
> of this process and for the ITU to be transparent in their negotiations.
> *Click here to join us in our call to keep the ITU from regulating the
> internet, publicly release its plans, and respect our role in the
> internet's future by signing the petition below. <https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd24/13a54daa/72fd7055/1de41c38/151709430/VEsD/>
> *
> In solidarity,
> The Access Team
> *For more information:*
> Civil Society urges openness, multi-stakeholder process for WCIT<https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd24/13a54daa/72fd7055/1de41c3b/151709430/VEsA/>
> ITU Move to Expand Powers Threatens the Internet<https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd24/13a54daa/72fd7055/1de41c3a/151709430/VEsB/>
> Hey ITU Member States: No More Secrecy, Release the Treaty Proposals<https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd24/13a54daa/72fd7055/1de41c35/151709430/VEsO/>
>  ------------------------------
> *Access is an international NGO that promotes open access to the internet
> as a means to free, full and safe participation in society and the
> realization of human rights. To help protect the internet around the world,
> you can donate to Access<https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd24/13a54daa/72fd7055/1de41c34/151709430/VEsP/>. To
> reply, please email info at accessnow.org. **To unsubscribe, go to: **
> http://www.accessnow.org/unsubscribe<https://www.accessnow.org/page/m/3717cd24/13a54daa/72fd7055/1de41c37/151709430/VEsHBQ/>
> *
>
> ____________________________________________________________
> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
>      governance at lists.igcaucus.org
> To be removed from the list, visit:
>      http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing
>
> For all other list information and functions, see:
>      http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
> To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
>      http://www.igcaucus.org/
>
> Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________
> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
>     governance at lists.igcaucus.org
> To be removed from the list, visit:
>     http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing
>
> For all other list information and functions, see:
>     http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
> To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
>     http://www.igcaucus.org/
>
> Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.igcaucus.org/pipermail/governance/attachments/20120602/339890d0/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     governance at lists.igcaucus.org
To be removed from the list, visit:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing

For all other list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/

Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t