[AfrICANN-discuss] The Google campaign – An ITU view

[Maye Diop]

FYI
http://itu4u.wordpress.com/2012/11/23/the-google-campaign-an-itu-view/
The Google campaign – An ITU view
November 23, 2012 · by itu4u <http://itu4u.wordpress.com/author/itu4u/> ·
in Broadband <http://itu4u.wordpress.com/category/broadband/>, Paul
Conneally <http://itu4u.wordpress.com/category/contributors/paul-conneally/>,
WCIT-12 <http://itu4u.wordpress.com/category/wcit-12/>

<http://itu4u.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/global-lobby-presentation2-copy.jpg>

عربي<http://itu4u.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/google-campaign-itu-view-ar.docx>
    中文<http://itu4u.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/google-campaign-itu-view-zh.docx>
    Español<http://itu4u.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/google-campaign-itu-view-es.docx>
     Français<http://itu4u.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/google-campaign-itu-view-fr.docx>
     Русский<http://itu4u.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/google-campaign-itu-view-ru.docx>

ITU notes the recent comments made by Google in relation to the upcoming World
Conference on International
Telecommunications<http://www.itu.int/en/wcit-12/Pages/default.aspx>(WCIT-12)
in Dubai.

Google has erroneously claimed that WCIT-12, which will take place in Dubai
from 3-14 December, will be used as a forum to increase censorship and
regulate the Internet.

The freedom of expression and the right to communicate are already
enshrined in many UN <http://www.un.org/en/> and international treaties
that ITU <http://www.itu.int/en/Pages/default.aspx> has taken into account
in the establishment of its Constitution and
Convention<http://www.itu.int/net/about/basic-texts/constitution/chaptervi.aspx>,
and also its mandate by the Plenipotentiary
Conference<http://www.itu.int/plenipotentiary/2010/index.html>,
which is the Supreme Organ of ITU. These treaties include Article 19 of the
Universal Declaration on Human
Rights<http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml#a19>and Article
19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights<http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm#art19>
.

These Articles – as well as Article 33 and 34 of the ITU
Constitution<http://www.itu.int/net/about/basic-texts/constitution/chaptervi.aspx>–
clearly establish the right to communication and the limits that
governments can impose on those rights.

Since the ITU Constitution prevails over the International
Telecommunication Regulations <http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/itr/> (ITRs),
nothing in the ITRs has the power to result in a reduction of freedom to
communicate.

ITU’s mandate in the Internet is laid down by the Plenipotentiary
Conference Resolutions which were agreed to by consensus in
2010<http://www.itu.int/pub/S-CONF-ACTF-2010/en>.
Nothing can be agreed at WCIT-12 to change this mandate.

Google has also incorrectly stated, on its official website, that
governments alone, working behind closed doors, should not direct the
Internet’s future.

The so-called closed-door meeting is however inclusive of 193 national
delegations which are participating in WCIT-12. In addition, ITU is pleased
to note that private sector companies and civil society organizations have
registered to attend WCIT-12 in large numbers.

The United States, where Google itself is headquartered, has confirmed more
than 125 people in its delegation to WCIT-12, with a large majority of
these delegates representing the private sector and civil society.

It is interesting to note that Google representatives are part of the
United States delegation.

We regret that Google did not take the opportunity to choose to join ITU as
a member, which would have enabled it to participate in its own right in
the WCIT-12 preparatory process.

The very thorough and inclusive preparatory process leading up to the
WCIT-12 has been completely transparent.

At ITU, transparency is achieved at the national level, through national
consultations in national languages. A process we believe more inclusive
than simply posting an English language text online.

ITU firmly believes that a revised treaty can help harness the power of
ICTs to deliver social and economic benefits in every nation on earth,
including across every sector.

The current ITRs paved the way for today’s information and communication
technologies.

This includes mobile and the Internet. The revised ITRs have the exciting
potential to pave the way for a broadband revolution in the 21st century.

ITU’s goal is to continue enabling the Internet, as it has done since the
Internet’s inception.

We must keep the Internet open for business to sustain growth in the vast
and inter-dependent global digital economy.

<http://itu4u.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/contributor_paul_conneally11.jpg>By:Paul
Conneally
Head of Communications and Partnership Promotion Division, ITU


-- 
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Mme Ndéye Maimouna DIOP
Spécialiste ICT4D
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