India's proposal for government control of Internet to be discussed in Geneva

The Hindu ^ | May 15, 2012 | Shalini Singh

[jmcenanly]

Move to form body with 50 governments to oversee internet governance

The raging controversy over possible excessive state regulation of the internet based on the IT Rules 2011 is now likely to be dwarfed by discussions in Geneva later this week over India's proposal to the United Nations General Assembly, for government control of the Internet.

Led by the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, the Geneva meet is a multi-stakeholder discussion platform on Internet governance structures.

In its proposal submitted to the General Assembly in New York on October 26, 2011, India has argued for a radical shift from the present model of multi-stakeholder led decision-making, to a purely government-run multilateral body that would relegate civil society, private sector, international organizations as well as technical and academic groups to the fringes in an advisory role. The proposal has been floated sans any public consultation, despite the move impacting the country's 800 million mobile and 100 million Internet users.

[jmcenanly]

Does anyone outside the UN think it is a good idea to let some of the most repressive regimes in the world control the Internet?

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Well it’s not a good idea to let any regime “regulate” the internet, but I know one thing: It will definately happen here in the next 4 years because we have 2 liberals running for POTUS.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

“There is some money over there! Let’s take it!”