November 22, 2012 at 21:07European Parliament opposes transfer of Internet control to International Telecommunication Union
The European Parliament has passed a resolution condemning attempts to transfer control of the Internet to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which are expected to be undertaken at an ITU meeting in Dubai on December 3. The vast majority of members of parliament from various parties voted for the resolution. The initiator and one of the main sponsors of the resolution was the Pirate Party.
The resolution says that neither ITU, nor any other centralized organization can claim the authority to regulate the Internet. It was recommended that representatives of the EU member states at the upcoming conference counteract changes to the treaty on the regulation of international communications that could jeopardize freedom of speech on the Internet.
Changes to the agreement are supported by countries such as Brazil, Russia, Iran and China. The new rules could give governments the authority that now belongs to ICANN, IANA, and W3C. This causes many concern over the possible rise of censorship and even the actual destruction of the Internet as an independent global information environment. If such changes are adopted, it will be much easier for the authorities of any country to isolate themselves from the whole world with an informational “iron curtain”. Mass collection of signatures against possible changes to the contract is now being carried out by Google .
The resolution says that neither ITU, nor any other centralized organization can claim the authority to regulate the Internet. It was recommended that representatives of the EU member states at the upcoming conference counteract changes to the treaty on the regulation of international communications that could jeopardize freedom of speech on the Internet.
Changes to the agreement are supported by countries such as Brazil, Russia, Iran and China. The new rules could give governments the authority that now belongs to ICANN, IANA, and W3C. This causes many concern over the possible rise of censorship and even the actual destruction of the Internet as an independent global information environment. If such changes are adopted, it will be much easier for the authorities of any country to isolate themselves from the whole world with an informational “iron curtain”. Mass collection of signatures against possible changes to the contract is now being carried out by Google .