[Advisors] The world’s digital divide: U.N. telecom treat
y passes without support of U.S., others | Good Mornin
g Silicon Valley
Michael Gillespie
michaelg at gray.mb.ca
Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:09:45 -0600
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http://blogs.siliconvalley.com/gmsv/2012/12/14/the-worlds-digital-divide-u-n=
-telecom-treaty-passes-without-support-of-u-s-others/#respond
The world=E2=80=99s digital divide: U.N. telecom treaty passes without suppo=
rt of U.S., others
What=E2=80=99s next after a contentious vote Friday in Dubai on a United Nat=
ions telecom treaty that could affect the future of the Internet?
The United States, Canada, the U.K., Australia and other countries refused t=
o sign on to a treaty approved by nearly 90 other nations, according to the A=
ssociated Press. The sticking point: control over the Internet. The U.S. and=
other Western nations fear that other countries seek greater power to regul=
ate something that has grown and thrived with little oversight. Countries th=
at ratified the treaty include Russia, China and Iran =E2=80=94 which have n=
ot hesitated to censor or control online content.
Hamadoun Toure, secretary-general of the U.N.=E2=80=99s International Teleco=
mmunications Union, said there was no specific approval of =E2=80=9CInternet=
control or Internet governance=E2=80=9D as part of the treaty. Toure has sa=
id the treaty instead aims to expand access to the Internet among poorer nat=
ions. Other nations also sought more say in telecom issues, such as taxes an=
d more, during the nearly two-week conference that ended today. (See Power t=
alking: Internet governance in focus in Dubai.)
Google =E2=80=94 a vocal opponent of the treaty although it doesn=E2=80=99t g=
et a vote because only nations can do so =E2=80=94 thinks otherwise: =E2=80=9C=
What is clear from the ITU meeting in Dubai is that many governments want to=
increase regulation and censorship of the Internet,=E2=80=9D the company re=
portedly said in a statement. Other tech companies including Microsoft take a=
similar position.
=E2=80=9CBy agreeing to broaden the scope of the ITU=E2=80=99s rules to incl=
ude the Internet, encompassing its operations and content, these nations hav=
e radically undermined the highly successful, private sector, non-government=
al, multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance,=E2=80=9D said FCC Commis=
sioner Robert McDowell, according to Bloomberg.
Many of the countries that voted for the treaty had sought greater rights fo=
r other governments to manage Internet domains and more, something that=E2=80=
=99s handled by U.S.-based ICANN. The proposal was shelved, the BBC reports.=
While the treaty passed, the lack of support of the United States and other b=
ig countries may mean not much will change. The nations that seek greater co=
ntrol will still do what they want, while those that say they=E2=80=99re all=
about Internet freedom will still support it when convenient. In addition, t=
he ITU has pointed out its rules are non-binding.
=20
inShare=09
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"http://blogs.siliconvalley.com/gmsv/2012/12/14/the-worlds-digital-divide-u-=
n-telecom-treaty-passes-without-support-of-u-s-others/#respond">http://blogs=
.siliconvalley.com/gmsv/2012/12/14/the-worlds-digital-divide-u-n-telecom-tre=
aty-passes-without-support-of-u-s-others/#respond</a><br><br></div><div id=3D=
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<div class=3D"page" style=3D"font-family: Palatino, Georgia, Tim=
es, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.4; "><h1 class=
=3D"title">The world=E2=80=99s digital divide: U.N. telecom treaty passes wi=
thout support of U.S., others</h1>
<p>What=E2=80=99s next after a cont=
entious vote Friday in Dubai on a United Nations telecom treaty that could a=
ffect the future of the Internet?</p>
<p>The United States, Canada, the U.K., Australia and other countries refuse=
d to sign on to a treaty approved by nearly 90 other nations, according to t=
he <a href=3D"http://www.siliconvalley.com/ci_22192602/u-s-others-refuse-sig=
n-u-n-telecom" target=3D"_blank">Associated Press</a>. The sticking point: c=
ontrol over the Internet. The U.S. and other Western nations fear that other=
countries seek greater power to regulate something that has grown and thriv=
ed with little oversight. Countries that ratified the treaty include Russia,=
China and Iran =E2=80=94 which have not hesitated to censor or control onli=
ne content.</p>
<p>Hamadoun Toure, secretary-general of the U.N.=E2=80=99s International Tel=
ecommunications Union, said there was no specific approval of =E2=80=9CInter=
net control or Internet governance=E2=80=9D as part of the treaty. Toure has=
said the treaty instead aims to expand access to the Internet among poorer n=
ations. Other nations also sought more say in telecom issues, such as taxes a=
nd more, during the nearly two-week conference that ended today. (See <a hre=
f=3D"http://blogs.siliconvalley.com/gmsv/2012/12/03/power-talking-internet-g=
overnance-in-focus-in-dubai/" target=3D"_blank"> Power talking: Internet gov=
ernance in focus in Dubai</a>.)</p>
<p><a href=3D"http://www.siliconvalley.com/topics/?Google%20Inc." target=3D"=
_blank">Google</a> =E2=80=94 a vocal opponent of the treaty although it does=
n=E2=80=99t get a vote because only nations can do so =E2=80=94 thinks other=
wise: =E2=80=9CWhat is clear from the ITU meeting in Dubai is that many gove=
rnments want to increase regulation and censorship of the Internet,=E2=80=9D=
the company <a href=3D"http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-13/u-s-and-u-k=
-refuse-to-sign-un-agreement-on-telecommunications.html" target=3D"_blank">r=
eportedly</a> said in a statement. Other tech companies including Microsoft t=
ake a similar position.</p>
<p>=E2=80=9CBy agreeing to broaden the scope of the ITU=E2=80=99s rules to i=
nclude the Internet, encompassing its operations and content, these nations h=
ave radically undermined the highly successful, private sector, non-governme=
ntal, multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance,=E2=80=9D said FCC Comm=
issioner Robert McDowell, according to Bloomberg.</p>
<p>Many of the countries that voted for the treaty had sought greater rights=
for other governments to manage Internet domains and more, something that=E2=
=80=99s handled by U.S.-based ICANN. The proposal was shelved, the <a href=3D=
"http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20717774" target=3D"_blank">BBC</a> re=
ports.</p>
<p>While the treaty passed, the lack of support of the United States and oth=
er big countries may mean not much will change. The nations that seek greate=
r control will still do what they want, while those that say they=E2=80=99re=
all about Internet freedom will still support it when convenient. In additi=
on, the ITU has pointed out its rules are non-binding.</p>
<p> </p>
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