ITU - International Telecommunications Union under the aegis of the United Nations is going to meet in Dubai this December on discussing major issues with relation to the NET REGULATION ...![knowing a little abt ITU before going for the topic...ITU is a specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for information and communication technologies. ITU coordinates the shared global use of the radio spectrum, promotes international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, works to improve telecommunication infrastructure in the developing world and establishes worldwide standards...
estd - 1865 Hq - Geneva , Switzerland Members - 193 nations Slogan - Committes to connecting the World ]
Key Concerns include :-
- Content regulation,
- surveillance,
- filtering
- cost of the Internet access .
What could come out with this meet ?
This will be the first time Internet regulation, under the cover of “international cooperation,” could be included in binding treaties similar to international law — like the WTO framework — to recast the global Internet policy framework, architecture and openness. .
What will b the extent of impact of the regulations ?
It will impact the future of Internet and itz 2 billion current and 3 billion potential users by 2015
Various demands by other nations for modifications include ?
Russia and Iran have pressed for ?
- Russia and Iran want modification of section 2.2 to include Internet traffic termination as a regulated telecom service.
- If adopted, this proposal will mean metering international traffic along national boundaries and billing the sending party of the traffic — as is now done for ISD calls.
- Critics fear that this will create a new revenue stream for corrupt, non-democratic regimes, while raising the cost of accessing international websites and information, especially in developing countries like India.
Russia, Arab countries and Rwanda have pressed for ?
- the addition of a new section 2.13 to define “spam.” Experts believe that this will create a global, legal handle for national governments to read all emails — even those between private individuals.
- modification of section 4.3 to introduce content regulation, including spam and malware, is being done the first time. This will give the ITU a role in content surveillance and regulation where it has no expertise
India's position ?
- in India, 381 million mobile phone owners have Internet access with an additional 125 million who access the Internet through smart devices, computers and laptops.so they are to be affected indirectly and the cost of Internet increases which was free till now.
- Government of India has yet not prepared it staunch and have sought recommendations of FICCI , CII , COAI,AUSPI ,ISPAD ,etc.
Section 4.3 modification controversial ?
- modification of section 4.3 to introduce content regulation, including spam and malware, is being done the first time.
- This will give the ITU a role in content surveillance and regulation where it has no expertise.
- It further places issues of free speech in the hands of 193 countries with different levels of tolerance for freedom of expression (like CHINA ).
US stand on this ?
- opposition to any proposals to give the U.N. or individual countries more control over the Internet or to tax Internet traffic.
Russia and other nations have processed for taking away that ITU should take away internet governance functionality from the ICANN (US based) (so itzz going to be a major battle out their at DUBAI ! )
(ICANN ---The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is a nonprofit private organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States, that was created on September 18, 1998, and incorporated on September 30, 1998 to oversee a number of Internet-related tasks previously performed directly on behalf of the U.S. government by other organizations, notably the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which ICANN now operates. )