[governance] Just Net Coalition Response to NetMundial Outcome Document

[Norbert Klein]

Thanks a lot - excellent.

Norbert Klein
Cambodia


On 4/22/2014 5:12 PM, Norbert Bollow wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> please find below and attached the Just Net Coalition's response to
> the draft NetMundial Outcome Document.
>
> Greetings,
> Norbert
> co-convenor, Just Net Coalition
>
>
> * Just Net Coalition Response to NetMundial Outcome Document *
>
> President Dilma's Speech in the UN General assembly last September,
> resonated throughout the world. It expressed the outrage of the people
> on the "grave violation of human rights and of civil liberties", the
> threat of "cyberspace being used as a weapon of war" and violation
> sovereign rights of countries including Brazil. She expressed the
> global discontent in the way the Internet is being currently governed.
> She called for protection of data as it travels on the web and
> multilateral mechanisms (or UN mechanisms) for the Internet to ensure
> democratic governance, cultural diversity, inclusive and non
> discriminatory societies, and responsible regulation.
>
> It is in this context within which the NetMundial conference -- on
> April 23rd-24th -- is taking place in Sao Paulo for which Brazil has
> taken the initiative.
>
> Unfortunately, all the above issues that President Dilma highlighted in
> her UN speech, are missing from the current draft that is being placed
> before the conference. The document fails to mention the word
> 'democracy' at all - and instead talks only about the multistakeholder
> model and governance on the basis of consensus. This, even though such
> systems have failed in protecting the global citizens from drag-net
> surveillance, the threat of cyber war and the emergence of global
> monopolies. Such a model also completely ignores the concept of public
> interest in Internet governance.
>
> If we take the pharmaceutical example, a multistakeholder governance
> would have meant deciding /by consensus/-- between global pharma, AIDS
> patients in the global south and global governments -- what should be
> the cost of such lifesaving drugs, without addressing or identifying
> where public good lies. Brazil and other countries rejected such an
> approach and that iswhy people in the global south today can afford to
> buy drugs for their treatment. And who would accept that pharmaceutical
> companies have equal rights with respect to decisions on safety and
> effectiveness of their products?
>
> A model that gives equal rights for public policy to governments, and
> corporations, is giving global corporations, a veto to prevent any
> meaningful reform and regulation. This is a violation of all democratic
> norms and the rights of the people -- their political, economic, social
> and cultural rights, essentially surrendering global public interest to
> private, unelected, rich and powerful global corporations. How could,
> for instance, network neutrality ever be imposed in such a model?
>
> Governments are answerable to their people; corporations to their
> shareholders. People and profits cannot be equated through a specific
> model of governance. This is what NetMundial must address; not an
> endorsement of the status quo but a new beginning in Internet
> governance; an Internet governance that must place public good over
> private profit, protect global citizens from mass surveillance and the
> threat of cyber weapons. This is the leadership role that we would
> expect President Dilma and Brazil to play in NetMundial. This is what
> all countries and groups who believe in democracy, advancing human
> rights and social justice and a peaceful world must strive for in the
> final outcome document.
>
> The Just Net Coalition has submitted a detailed clause-by-clause
> amendment to the Draft of the NetMundial document. We believe that the
> draft should be significantly revised to include the following:
>
> 1. A democratic and multistakeholder Internet governance model with
> different roles and responsibilities for different stakeholders;
> recognising that corporations and governments cannot be placed on an
> equal footing in governing the Internet.
>
> 2. Restoring the reference to the necessary and proportionate principle
> and therefore countering the continuation of mass surveillance.
>
> 3. Restoring reference to the need for a global compact on prohibition
> of cyberwar and cyber weapons.
>
> 4. Adding a clear reference to net neutrality principles (the current
> reference is too vague and ambiguous, permitting practices such as
> tiered access and differential pricing).
>
> 5. Addressing emerging increased power of monopolies in the Internet
> space with respect to cultural and language diversity, and
> profiteering, and the need for regulating such monopolies.
>
> 6. Addressing the issue of appropriation and monetisation of data of the
> people by corporations.
>
> 7. Recognizing the concept of global commons or public good in internet
> governance.
>
> 8. Rejecting unilateral preconditions on the IANA transition
> discussions.
>
> We expect that the final outcome document will explicitly foster a
> decentralized, free and open, non-hierarchical network of networks, and
> not implicitly favour the current trends of Internet governance which
> are leading us more and more towards monolithic, centralized walled
> gardens. NetMundial must dedicate itself to a roadmap to for an open,
> robust and resilient Internet -- acceptable to everyone including the
> 70 per cent unconnected majority.
>
> [Just_Net_Coalition_Response_NetMundial_2014-04-22.pdf  application/pdf
> (47084 Bytes)]


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