Nations that Previously Withdrew Proposals Now in Favor of Extended Internet Control
For the past two weeks, the US along with it’s EU allies have been trying to convince delegates of other nations that the ITU should not be extended to cover Internet control. These efforts seemed to have worked as nations including Russia and China withdrew their proposals. But those same nations were in favor of expanded Internet control in an unofficial vote last night which must have shocked those that have been fighting for Internet freedom.
According to Reuters, “As a marathon session at the UN’s World Conference on International Telecommunications concluded at about 1:30 a.m. local time in Dubai, the chairman asked for a “feel of the room” and then noted that the nonbinding resolution had majority support, while denying it was a vote.”
The aforementioned resolution would keep most of the Internet away from nations that would abuse it. The biggest question remaining in it is whether nations should have control of “addressing” giving them the same authority (assigning IP addresses) currently held by US based nonprofit ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.
US Ambassador Terry Kramer tweeted “We will be working around the clock. The US remains committed to keeping the Internet out of the ITRs (treaty).”
With the ITU World Conference coming to an end tomorrow something has got to give. Clearly the majority of nations want more control over the Internet as the US and EU fight to have it removed altogether.
Webpronews.com states, “There’s already been rumors of the US walking out on the conference. If that happened, everything would probably fall apart. That’s probably not going to happen, but Kramer and the other US delegates have their work cut out for them if they intend to fight the combined interests of some very powerful nations.”
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