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Technology

Tech Companies, Advocacy Groups Prepare to Take Final Stand Against U.N.’s Proposed Internet Control Treaty

Nov. 26, 2012 5:09pm Liz Klimas

Opposition Mounting Against U.N.s International Telecommunications Union Proposed Changes to 1988 Treaty

Flag of the International Telecommunications Union expected to address proposed changes to a 1988 law. (Image: Wikimedia)

The meeting is still a week away, yet the U.N.’s 11-day World Conference on International Communications in Dubai has been seeing opposition for months already. Among thousands of proposals on the table are those that tech companies, some governments and advocates for a free, open Internet think could lead to broad U.N. authority over Internet regulations.

Among the more than 1,300 proposals are items that could lead to Web restrictions, like censorship in oppressive countries, and a potential change to the pay structure of the Web, which would force content providers, like Google and Facebook, to pay extra for users overseas who wish to use their services.

“We can expect an Internet totally different to today’s open and global system,” said Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, representing 175 million workers worldwide, according to the Associated Press.

“Repressive governments will have a U.N. treaty which allows them to control freedom of expression, to monitor everything any targeted individual is saying on the Net, and to stop social movements and human rights defenders demanding respect for basic rights,” she cautioned.

The International Telecommunications Union, composed of 193 nations that will come together next week, has said governing the Internet and censorship are not its purpose, but that the communications treaty last revised in 1988 must be updated in light of tech changes since then. This last revision was before the Internet was even in the public domain.

“We will not support any effort to broaden the scope of the ITRs (International Telecommunications Regulations) to facilitate any censorship of content or blocking the free flow of information and ideas,” said Terry Kramer, a former technology industry executive who was given ambassador status to lead a powerhouse 123-member U.S. delegation to the World Conference on International Telecommunications, according to the AP.

In May, TheBlaze reported that a House Energy and Commerce Committee introduced a resolution that would “reject the proposed international takeover of the Internet and preserve the current ‘multi-stakeholder’ model of governance.” Chairman of the committee Fred Upton (R-MI) said at the time that “[i]nternational regulatory intrusion into the Internet would have disastrous results not just for the United States, but for people around the world.” He expressed that the reason the Internet is successful at helping facilitate innovation today is because “the government took a step back.”

More recently, Google launched a “Take Action” campaign against the potential treaty revisions. Here’s how it described the proposed changes that it’s against:

Some proposals could permit governments to censor legitimate speech — or even allow them to cut off Internet access.

Other proposals would require services like YouTube, Facebook, and Skype to pay new tolls in order to reach people across borders. This could limit access to information — particularly in emerging markets.

The advocacy group Fight for the Future released this video expressing its views against the proposed changes as well:

Some of the stakeholders have also pointed out that they have no influence in the decisions to be made by the ITU.

“Engineers, companies and people that build and use the Web have no vote,” Google expressed on its take action page. “The billions of people around the globe that use the Internet, the experts that build and maintain it, should be included.”

Google also called the ITU “secretive,” given that the conference and its proposals are confidential.

Even if the proposals are technically confidential, the website WCITLeaks.org has been posting what are allegedly official documents. Larry Downes for Forbes pointed out Monday that a recent one was a planning document that showed how the ITU was preparing a social media campaign to counter expected opposition to the treaty changes. Downes wrote:

The newly-leaked document is the agenda for an “ITU Senior Management Retreat” held in Geneva in September. It includes a detailed report on resistance to WCIT and the agency’s plans to counter criticism of its secretive processes. It also includes links and passwords for presentations given by outside public relations and advertising executives from leading global agencies.

The document, marked “confidential,” suggests senior ITU officials have become both paranoid and panicked over growing outrage over both the form and substance of the upcoming negotiations. Material included with the agenda paints a pathetic picture of the 150 year-old UN agency struggling to defend itself from attacks by what the agency believes is a “well-financed and well-organized campaign originating in the USA” whose goal is to “discredit the ITU and WCIT.”

Among other the topics to be discussed in Dubai are Internet security, combating fraud, preventing mobile phone “bill shock” with roaming charges and efforts to expand broadband infrastructures in developing countries.

The meeting will begin on Dec. 3.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Comments (37)

media-bias-steals-elections
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:25pm
No, it’s not really a secret what they want to do? What do rural neighborhoods do to raise tax money? Put a police car behind a tree, wait for you to go buy, and write you a ticket?

That’s what every municipality wants to do to the internet, tax publishers for content they broadcast? Imagine some bored mayor in a cash starved town, suddenly making 10,000 requests for the NewYork Times, after he spends a few months creating a private server farm for this specific purpose, and he can then send the New York Times a tax bill for whatever the new UN going rate is for internet traffic?

Lots of ISP share ip addresses, so this is not a far fetched idea, however what business does not have a web site? How much money would it cost if you suddenly had to prepare tax returns based on a municipality for one of your audience members? While we are on the subject, the potential anti-trust lawsuit of Google is interesting, how can Google say “consumers” have a choice, when all businesses have to have web sites, how many can ignore not having a relationship with Google?

Businesses are not consumers? They are aren’t they? Advocate, don’t Regulate? Stop trying to micro-manage everything you liberals out there, you will certainly fail? Being a publisher or web site operator is already incredibly expensive, and so are our internet connections, there is no money to grab out there, stop it?

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tharpdevenport
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:51am
I sleep a little better knowing boneheaded UN wannabe despot lackies know we’re on to them, and worry about it. And that yes, we are organizing and doing something about it. That’s tough monkey nuts. Don’t like it? Try invading America and stopping us.

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judyaz
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 10:37pm
As grandmother of the internet, I wish it to remain free — especially with the freedom of religion, philosophies and ideas, and with freedom of speech — as in the America in which it was born.
Here is how it began, as I remember it. In 1978, I stood in the entrance of walk-through registration at the University of Arizona and asked God to guide me, to show me His will in what to learn. A spirit sent from God, which I saw as a bright etheric light, appeared and went to the left. I followed it until it turned right to hover over a man. He was head of the new Systems Engineering department, recruiting students. I didn’t need to talk; I’already been shown from God. I signed up. Six month later, my student training led me to US Army Communications Command, where from the new Data Engineering Branch, my coursework allowed me to show managers of this worldwide US Army Telecommunications Command how to plan and design this new system that would allow text and graphics to be sent over phone lines one day, even books to be shared. We dreamed big. One day it became real.
The internet was given to us by God because He asked us to “give His words wings and let them go unto the world,” in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. “New words shall be written upon the sky, but they must be written in men’s hearts first,” His spiritual messengers told me in 1972. I’d prayed, asking, how, Lord? He answered. Now we all communicate. It was given by God for His purpose.

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- judyaz
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 10:38pm
  Keep it free.
  
  Report this comment
- judyaz
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 10:41pm
  Remember to follow His star.
  
  Report this comment
LameLiberals
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 10:26pm
Why did the Tech Company CEOs and employees VOTE FOR OBAMA if they didn’t want an internet takeover?

Answer: Because Bush and Romney and McCain types ACT LIKE OBAMA in their fever to take away American civil rights and would have ENDORSED the same Internet takeover by the government just as they voted to create the TSA which kicks the 4th amendment to the curb and feels up people at airports and now subways and political rallies WITH NOT WARRANT. The police LOVE having a TSA agent around because the police have to get a warrant to search you so the police send a TSA agent to feel you up instead because they don’t need a warrant and the TSA is NOT deployed to just airports any more. The TSA can search you WITHOUT A WARRANT wherever they are – in subways, train stations, on highway stops, etc. And both OBAMA AND THE GOP ARE ALL FOR IT.

The two party system in the USA is THE SAME PARTY when it comes to trampling civil rights.

Thank God for Rand Paul and Ted Cruz because under Michelle Bachman/Pelosi/Graham/Obama we live under a increasing police state.

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- mr.marine87
  Posted on November 27, 2012 at 5:26am
  It dosn’t matter if every american citizen contacts the goverment and says no to ITU he is the king he will do whatever he wants and then lie about it
  
  Report this comment
Silvertruth
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 8:22pm
This is funny… Sorry, it is. You have a bunch of politico’s trying to regulate something that can easily be morphed into something else. Someone will just set up, “Duty Free, Internet II” and the wild west will begin again.

People will always seek freedom and communication, I say “Go for it!” to the UN. They will only realize how sad and sorry their efforts will be. How will they be able to enforce anything in a country that doesn’t give a flip about their ‘rules’?

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Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 8:13pm
These are the same b people who are in cahoots with George Soros and his ‘supposed” open borders ideology! So what do they do? Start setting up cyber borders! Sign of things to come from those who want to destroy borders. They want to end up with only 1 border – the one between themselves the elites and the great unwashed masses (aka Workers)

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- Chet Hempstead
  Posted on November 27, 2012 at 3:44am
  That’s not how you spell Gandhi.
  
  Report this comment
MrKnowItAll
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 8:12pm
Here is something to look into on the internet. My C-Pap Machine. I was called and told it needed to be replaced. Thought Nothing of it. Now I have a C-Pap Machine they gave me with BIG BROTHER attached. The guy told me if I do not wear it at least four hours per night it will be taken from me. The new one has what looks like a Transmitter Radio attached to it. I told the guy I have a enlarged prostate and will the crappy insurance I have it will be a Minimum of eight months before I am scheduled for surgery. I told him I get up 10 times a Night to use the bathroom and can’t get the mask back on sometimes. Doesn’t Matter he said. Thanks Obama Care. Now I will probably die in my sleep before my surgery.

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- DadRocked
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 11:13pm
  Thanks for that…
  My best bud had been politically fighting me about politics and the UnAffordable Health Act (ObamaCare). Concerned that his Medicare would be interupted without it. I’ll have to ask him about his C-Pap – last one vs newest.
  
  Hope that you don’t mind me using your post for reference points.
  
  Report this comment
chips1
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:46pm
Freedom of speech is guaranteed by our Constitution. The rest of the world should be cut off from our internet until such time that they decide otherwise. If people in the US need to communicate with other countries, use the mail. That might even reduce the amount of money they lose by being run by the government. Keep our politicians out of other people’s business. Bring our troops home. Don’t let Obama kill any more of them.

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- freepr008
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:18pm
  Hey. That can save the U.S. postal service from virtual bankruptcy.
  
  Report this comment
- db321
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 7:35pm
  Google launched a “Take Action” campaign against the potential treaty revisions.
  
  WOW! Looks like we hit a Liberal Funny Bone. Google is in bed with the Communist in the WH. What did Google think was going to happen to the internet. The internet is free speech and Free Speech can NEVER be tolerated in a Communist One World Govt.
  
  I am so laughing **** off right now.
  
  Report this comment
Individualism
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:41pm
Anonymous take down the UN please.

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jessieH
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:24pm
Destroy the UN. Problem solved!

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progressiveslayer
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:16pm
Socialized medicine,the UN controlling our speech and BO’s civilian army created in the so called health care law,the handwriting’s on the wall folks and we have all the ingredients for a dictatorship.

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- Walkabout
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:36pm
  Elections have consequences. Obama got re-elected & he does nothing but play kissy face with the likes of Morsi.
  
  Maybe he will get tougher toward the end of his second term, when reality b/tch slaps him in the face like Carter, but until then how much harm will be done. To wit Carter decreased funding during the 1st half of his presidency & then started ramping it up. Clinton did the same. Obama is a slow learned. He ‘ll probably start increasing the military budget 3 or 4 years from now if for no other reason than to give the next Democrat contender a chance to get elected President. (Yes, there is stuff to cut in the military budget, but not the way Democrats go at it.)
  
  Report this comment
- progressiveslayer
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:44pm
  We need to cut in all areas but I know this regime will continue to spend because the more they take in the more they spend,these social programs keep getting bigger and bigger.
  
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landmark
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:03pm
Oh Please!! The UN control the internet?? The UN can’t even control the UN!!

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Delores at CH WV
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 5:55pm
Pray for relief from these Marxist animals.

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lel2007
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 5:53pm
I wonder how many of these “tech companies” contributed to obama’s election campaign.

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schroeder123
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 5:33pm
Will someone please have the comoncheros to tell the UN to go Fu** them selves. We are the United States, A Free Country. We are not a world power (although we are strong) . We are a Free Country where people can carry on a life as they wish and not be hounded or controlled by Government.

mmmm ?

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- BBEV
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 5:47pm
  I’ll do it… Pick ME.
  
  Report this comment
- Nervous Investor
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:57pm
  Ummm …not really any longer …… and the US IS trying to dominate and financially colonize ALL countries worldwide by sneaking into their Financial Institutions … the move is called FATCA. Check out this article:
  
  How the term “US person” will give the US “de FATCA” control over other nations
  Published on November 25, 2012 by renounceuscitizenship in Issues regarding US persons abroad
  
  Cross posted from RenounceUScitizenship.
  
  By attempting to impose FATCA on the world, the US is attempting to place the world, not in its hands but in its Iron Fist.
  
  The US is leading the world into a frightening Orwellian future. Those of you who have read Orwell’s 1984 will recall the importance of language. Language is used to shape our attitudes. Language is used as a means to enhance and contract our understanding of issues. Hence, the importance of “Newspeak”.
  
  Today I had an interesting thought (a rare event). I realized that all of the discussion of US tax laws uses the language of “citizenship-based taxation”. This is misleading language. US tax laws apply to far more than US citizens. The Internal Revenue Code speaks of “US persons”. Read more… http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2012/11/25/how-the-term-us-person-will-give-the-us-de-fatca-control-over-other-nations/#more-14231
  
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cosmic dogma
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 5:31pm
World regulation of free speech. What could possibly go wrong with that?

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rpp
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 5:30pm
The UN is 150 years old?

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- Banter
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:03pm
  No, it is 67 years old. Regardless, it exists solely to steal the wealth and sovereignty of the US. This is one of many projects devoted to the effort, global warming being the most well known.
  
  Report this comment
- ldownes
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:17pm
  The International Telecommunications Union was formed in 1865. It became an agency of the UN when the UN was formed. So the agency is much older than the UN, even though it is now part of it.
  
  Report this comment
- chips1
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:50pm
  If the UN is 150 years old, put them on Obamacare. That should finish them off!!!!!
  
  Report this comment
Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 5:23pm
Google? Really? Hey Google…YOU opened this Pandora’s box you Orwellian bastards. Now your creation has gone Frankenstein on you. Who’d have thunk it? /sarc

As for the rest of us, isn’t it great to sit back and watch liberty die? Truth is, 90% of you all voted for this nonsense too. Oh sure, it was just for this or that…Social Security, Medicare, Patriot Act, NDAA, on and on. Rationalizing each one along the way. Guess what, you now have the government you deserve. Of course, if you should ever talk about leaving the game through secession…well that’s just crazy. Self determination is something that our ancestors and parts of Spain find meaningful. As for us, it’s just lunacy. Much better to bury the head in the sand and pretend that this isn’t happening.

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- Banter
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 5:58pm
  Normalcy bias is alive and well.
  
  i remain shocked at people I interact with who don’t even know what most of this is, or how it affects them. When I try to explain it they mostly reply it can’t happen here. We will see when Black Friday riots become the norm at food stores.
  
  Report this comment
- Walkabout
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:38pm
  Yup, all the rich, popular, lefty types hob nob with the Democrats & even outright Communists/oligarchs of China.
  What do they expect?
  
  Report this comment
jst1425
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 5:20pm
First health care….then communication….do you want to know how this all ends??

Research Adolf Hitler….he was a fascist JUST LIKE OBAMA!

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- cosmic dogma
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 5:34pm
  And farms and food, don’t forget that they are on the target list. Moving along pretty quickly, aren’t they?
  
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- 1TrueOne55
  Posted on November 26, 2012 at 6:00pm
  Your Wrong about ADOLF he was a Jewish born FABIAN SOCIALIST just like GEORGE SOROS (GEORGY SCHWARTZ his jewish born name). FASCISM is what others painted him as and that is why he got nominated to the Chancellory in the 1930′s and later took over the majority of EU by force.
  He exacted revenge for Germany’s defeat in 1918 when by all facts they would have eventually won if they would have held out longer.
  And when you look at history the revenge extracted by the UK and its allies is what led to the depression in Germany and the rest of Europe and eventually the US economy. It eventually lead to Hitler’s rise to power and a new War in Europe.
  Now we will have to determine whether Obama will do the same for the Middle East…
  
  Report this comment

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