[Governance] 170 orgs send an open letter to UN SG to stop plans for a new High Level Multistakeholder Body

[parminder]

The open letter was sent to the official consultation process, signed by
more than 170 organisations.

It was titled "“More than 170 Civil Society Groups Worldwide Oppose
Plans for a Big Tech Dominated Body for Global Digital Governance” .

Please see the final statement and endorsements at
https://justnetcoalition.org/big-tech-governing-big-tech.pdf  .  

It was also translated into Spanish, French, German and Dutch. All
versions are linked from the enclosed document We had just 3 days to get
sign ons, out of which 2 were weekend days. In the circumstances, the
number is quite good. It shows the groundswell to opposition to this
move. Thanks to everyone who supported this.

We will now get this letter also sent directly to the UN SG and his new
Tech Envoy.

We will like to keep this campaign open for some time to get additional
support and build awareness ...

This ongoing campaign is just a start, much more needs to be done and
will be done to stop this assault on democracy and on possibilities of
effective regulation of Big Tech. We will be doing all it takes,
including engaging with governments.

We will follow a twin track: develop a powerful movement within civil
society groups, and engage with governments and the UN.

Will keep you posted.

Best regards
parminder

On 05/03/21 2:15 pm, parminder via Governance wrote:
>
> Dear All
>
> This is anopen letter to the UN Secretary General
> <https://justnetcoalition.org/big-tech-governing-big-tech.pdf>
> initiated by 16 global and national level civil society networks and
> organisations urging him to shelve plans for a High Level
> Multistakeholder Body which, if set up, can be expected to become the
> default apex global digital governance and policy body. This body is
> proposed to have a private funding model, with strong hints also at a
> 'pay to play' model. It is but obvious that Big Tech will come to
> dominate any such body.
>
> Quoting from the letter:
>
>     ///Not only in developing countries but also in the US and EU,
>     calls for stronger regulation of Big Tech are rising. At the
>     precise point when we should be shaping global norms to regulate
>     Big Tech, plans have emerged for an ‘empowered’ global digital
>     governance body that will evidently be dominated by Big Tech.
>     Adding vastly to its already overweening power, this new Body
>     would help Big Tech resist effective regulation, globally and at
>     national levels. Indeed, we face the unbelievable prospect of ‘*a
>     Big Tech led body for Global Governance of Big Tech’*./
>
>  Two technical annexes to the open letter explain the background of
> the matter in considerable detail.
>
> *This letter is open for endorsements, *which can be done by writing
> an email to _secretariat at justnetcoalition.org
> <mailto:secretariat at justnetcoalition.org>_or filling _this form
> <https://justnetcoalition.org/big-tech-governing-big-tech-form>_before
> midnight PST (GMT-8) of the 7^th of March.
>
>
> Please also do circulate to other groups and networks where it may
> attract interest.
>
> *
> *
>
> The open letter may also be accessed at
> https://justnetcoalition.org/big-tech-governing-big-tech.pdf
>
>
> French text is at :
> https://justnetcoalition.org/big-tech-governing-big-tech-french.pdf
> and Spanish version at -
> https://justnetcoalition.org/big-tech-governing-big-tech-spanish.pdf **
>
>
> Please let us know if you have any questions or comments regarding the
> above.
>
>
> Best, parminder
>
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