The worldwide web of concerns

Telecom
Freedom of expression
Net neutrality
Author

Pranesh Prakash

Published

December 10, 2012

Publication

Asian Age

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Original URL
Abstract

The International Telecommunication Union’s World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12) is currently under way in Dubai, after a gap of 25 years. At this conference, the International Telecommunication Regulations — a binding treaty containing high-level principles — are to be revised.


Much has changed since the 1988 Melbourne conference. Since 1988, mobile telephony has grown by leaps and bounds, the Internet has expanded and the World Wide Web has come into existence.

Telecom­muni­ca­tions is now, by and large, driven by the private sector and not by state monopolies.

While there are welcome proposals (consumer protection relating to billing of international roaming), there have also been contentious issues that Internet activists have raised: a) process-related problems with the ITU; b) scope of the ITRs, and of ITU’s authority; c) content-related proposals and “evil governments” clamping down on free speech; d) IP traffic routing and distribution of revenues.

Division of revenue

Another set of proposals is being pushed by a group of European telecom companies hoping to revive their hard-hit industry. They want the ITU to regulate how payments are made for the flow of Internet traffic, and to prevent socalled “net neutrality” laws that aim to protect consumers and prevent monopolistic market abuse. They are concerned that the Googles and Facebooks of the world are free-riding on their investments. That all these companies pay to use networks just as all home users do, is conveniently forgotten. Thankfully, most countries don’t seem to be considering these proposals seriously.

Can general criteria be framed for judging these proposals?

In submissions to the Indian government, the Centre for Internet and Society suggested that any proposed revision of the ITRs be considered favourably only if it passes all the following tests: if international regulation is required, rather than just national-level regulation (i.e., the principle of subsidiarity); if it is a technical issue limited to telecommunications networks and services, and their interoperability; if it is an issue that has to be decided exclusively at the level of nation-states; if the precautionary principle is satisfied; and if there is no better place than the ITRs to address that issue. If all of the above are satisfied, then it must be seen if it furthers substantive principles, such as equity and development, competition and prevention of monopolies, etc. If it does, then we should ask what kind of regulation is needed: whether it should be mandatory, whether it is the correct sort of intervention required to achieve the policy objectives.

The threat of a “UN takeover” of the Internet through the WCIT is non-existent. Since the ITU’s secretary-general is insisting on consensus (as is tradition) rather than voting, the possibility of bad proposals (of which there are many) going through is slim. However, that doesn’t mean that activists have been crying themselves hoarse in vain. That people around the world are a bit more aware about the linkage between the technical features of the Internet and its potential as a vehicle for free speech, commerce and development, is worth having to hear some shriller voices out there.

The writer is policy director at the Centre for Internet and Society, Bengaluru

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Citation

BibTeX citation:
@article{prakash2012,
  author = {Prakash, Pranesh},
  title = {The Worldwide Web of Concerns},
  journal = {Asian Age},
  date = {2012-12-10},
  urldate = {2019-01-13},
  url = {http://web.archive.org/web/20121212012715/http://www.asianage.com/columnists/worldwide-web-concerns-007},
  entrysubtype = {newspaper},
  langid = {en},
  abstract = {The International Telecommunication Union’s World
    Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12) is
    currently under way in Dubai, after a gap of 25 years. At this
    conference, the International Telecommunication Regulations — a
    binding treaty containing high-level principles — are to be
    revised.}
}
For attribution, please cite this work as:
Prakash, Pranesh. 2012. “The Worldwide Web of Concerns.” Asian Age, December 10, 2012. https: //cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/deccan-chronicle-pranesh-prakash-december-10-2012-the-worldwide-web-of-concerns. http://web.archive.org/web/20121212012715/http://www.asianage.com/columnists/worldwide-web-concerns-007.