Dear ITU: A Complex Process Where Delegates Who Fly To Dubai Can 'Lobby' Is Not 'Transparency'
from the words-mean-things dept
The EU Parliament recently joined the US government in speaking out against the ITU's upcoming WCIT event, which we've been discussing. This is where the ITU -- an ancient organization designed to deal with telegraphs, and whose relevance today has been widely questioned -- is seeking to take over certain aspects of internet governance, well outside its mandate. Certain countries -- Russia and China in particular -- and certain large telcos (including many EU ones) are looking at this as a way to advance very specific interests, either for increased control and censorship over the internet, or in forcing successful internet companies to fork over money to telcos who have failed to innovate. Thankfully, the EU Parliament has now spoken up about its concerns, noting a number of key points (these are just the first half, but they give you an idea):1. Calls on the Council and the Commission to ensure that any changes to the International Telecommunication Regulations are compatible with the EU acquis and further the Union’s objective of, and interest in, advancing the internet as a truly public place, where human rights and fundamental freedoms, particularly freedom of expression and assembly, are respected and the observance of free market principles, net neutrality and entrepreneurship are ensured;The ITU has taken to its blog to hit back, claiming that it is deeply disappointed in the resolution. No surprise there. It tries to hit back on some of the points, but fails wildly. Take, for example, its response to the transparency issue:
2. Regrets the lack of transparency and inclusiveness surrounding the negotiations for WCIT-12, given that the outcomes of this meeting could substantially affect the public interest;
3. Believes that the ITU, or any other single, centralised international institution, is not the appropriate body to assert regulatory authority over either internet governance or internet traffic flows;
4. Stresses that some of the ITR reform proposals would negatively impact the internet, its architecture, operations, content and security, business relations and governance, as well as the free flow of information online;
5. Believes that, as a consequence of some of the proposals presented, the ITU itself could become the ruling power over aspects of the internet, which could end the present bottom-up, multi-stakeholder model; expresses concern that, if adopted, these proposals may seriously affect the development of, and access to, online services for end users, as well as the digital economy as a whole; believes that internet governance and related regulatory issues should continue to be defined at a comprehensive and multi-stakeholder level;
6. Is concerned that the ITU reform proposals include the establishment of new profit mechanisms that could seriously threaten the open and competitive nature of the internet, driving up prices, hampering innovation and limiting access; recalls that the internet should remain free and open;
However, it is important to point out that WCIT is inclusive of 193 national delegations which are participating in WCIT-12. Private sector companies and civil society organizations have also registered to attend WCIT-12 in large numbers.Note the key false equivalency here: that transparency means that you can have your voice heard (if, that is, you're willing to sign up to fly to Dubai and take part as a delegate). First of all, being heard is not transparency. Transparency is about sharing information in the other direction. It's about making the discussions and details public so everyone knows what's going on. Hearing what people are saying is listening and it's important -- but it's not transparency.
Everyone attending WCIT-12 is free to lobby for their specific positions.
Added to this, in the run-up to the conference, the ITU Secretariat created a platform to allow any individual, civil society player or company to make its views known.
The very thorough and inclusive preparatory process leading up to the WCIT-12 has been completely transparent. Every European parliamentarian could have obtained all the documents from their own government, or from the European Commission.
At ITU, transparency is achieved at the national level, through national consultations in national languages. Surely this process is far more inclusive than just posting an English language text on a web page?
Second, the fact that parliamentarians could obtain the documents is not transparency either. It does not involve the public.
It's this kind of misleading rhetoric that makes people so concerned about the ITU. The fact that it pretends transparency is something other than it is seems like a real problem.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: itu, transparency
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
I hope the US is not complaining about the lack of transparency. This is more transparent than the USTR is with TPP. At least they will listen, the USTR doesn't even want to do that, while claiming its being transparent.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Transparency? We don't need no stinking transparency.
None of them understand the meaning of transparency... no, wait... they do understand, they just don't care.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: *correction*
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Huh. Ya know, if you replace "ITU" with "Google", same concerns apply.
Take the link to hear Melancholy Mike cover a Springsteen tune reminiscing his one big quip and nothing since:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect
Glory days well they'll pass you by
Glory days in the wink of a young girl's eye
Glory days, glory days
"Glory Days" (Bruce Springsteen)
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Huh. Ya know, if you replace "ITU" with "Google", same concerns apply.
"You know it's just a matter of time before Google takes over the world, but that's okay, they'll do a better job than our governments do."
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Huh. Ya know, if you replace "ITU" with "Google", same concerns apply.
Isn't the whole BIG thing boB's schtick?
You did ask Bruce if you could have permission to copy and republish his lyrics? Right boB... I mean OOTB.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Politics
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Huh. Ya know, if you replace "ITU" with "Google", same concerns apply.
> that operates with near complete secrecy can be trusted in
> similar circumstances? Big is Bad wherever occurs, needs to be
> watched from all quarters, certainly not left "free" to spy on
> everyone, has no right to do so, and well-regulated.
Very well said! I agree completely! That's why we need more regulation of giant copyright maximalists.
> Besides that, you've no actual assurance that Google isn't
> in cahoots with these manifest globalists.
Wow. Now that's pretty crazy -- even for you.
So the ITU is working against Google's best interest, but Google is secretly in cahoots with them -- while asking everyone on the Internet to help Google.
Maybe the RIAA is secretly in cahoots with the aliens? After all, as you say, you have no actual assurance otherwise. So it must be true.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Huh. Ya know, if you replace "ITU" with "Google", same concerns apply.
Take the link to hear Melancholy Mike cover a Springsteen tune reminiscing his one big quip and nothing since:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect
Glory days well they'll pass you by
Glory days in the wink of a young girl's eye
Glory days, glory days
"Glory Days" (Bruce Springsteen)
It's different because ITU doesn't seem to have paid shills
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Clearly understanding that which you seek to control is just too much to ask for these days...
[ link to this | view in thread ]
The very thorough and inclusive preparatory process ..."
And yet they chose to host their little get together in a nation well known for its lack of equal rights ... wtf
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Huh. Ya know, if you replace "ITU" with "Google", same concerns apply.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Huh. Ya know, if you replace "ITU" with "Google", same concerns apply.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re:
I think ITU should keep out of the internet entirely aa their own positions when lobbying in EU parliament are not the golden standards which is a bit ironic given that they lobby in standardisation.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in thread ]
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Transparency? We don't need no stinking transparency.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
transparency
[ link to this | view in thread ]