Monday, November 12, 2007

Thoughts On The Internet Governance Forum

Reprinted from the Nov. 9, 2007 edition of National Journal's Technology Daily

Net Governance: U.S. Wants To Maintain The Nature Of Internet Policy
By Andrew Noyes

A pair of high-ranking telecommunications officials from the U.S. government this week emphasized the importance of maintaining the true multi-stakeholder nature of Internet policy talks in anticipation of a global conference that begins Monday in Brazil.

The second installment of the Internet Governance Forum will be a significant place to "share experiences and visions that support the continued evolution and expansion of the Internet," John Kneuer and David Gross said in a joint statement.

Kneuer, who just announced that he is leaving as head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and Gross, the State Department's international communications and information policy chief, hope the event will foster "constructive discussions" about economic and social development.

Internet industry representatives from the United States and other nations, as well as some Western government officials, worry that a handful of delegations like China and Russia are trying to turn the U.N.-sponsored forum into a policymaking body.

Preserving the current framework makes the organization a "unique environment for an honest and frank exchange of ideas without the pressure of negotiating output discussions or conclusions," Kneuer and Gross said.

Markus Kummer, the U.N. official who heads the forum's secretariat, told Technology Daily on Friday that "more traditional" governments are not used to attending an event like the forum without it ending in a treaty or concluding document.

"Some are uncomfortable with this format," Kummer said. "We break down old barriers and force ministers to sit next to representatives of civil society." That worked "remarkably well" at the inaugural Internet Governance Forum in Athens, Greece, last year, he said.

Conference themes include access, diversity, openness, security and a new element, "critical Internet resources." "There's not a one-size-fits-all model, but different ingredients make good Internet policy and that's what we're trying to achieve here," Kummer said.

Guiding principles ensure that the 1,600-plus attendees from government, industry and the nonprofit arena have "equal footing," he said. "That model really is the essence of the IGF." Reaching consensus on pressing issues, however, is complicated by that structure, he added.

At the Rio de Janeiro meeting, Gross said in an interview that he will urge everyone to discuss progress made by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the entity that manages the Web-addressing system.

A forthcoming review by NTIA is part of an agreement the agency and ICANN signed last year to continue transitioning the coordination of the technical functions of the Internet to the private sector. Public comments are being accepted through Feb. 15.

Gross also said he is particularly eager to engage in discussions about freedom of expression and free flow of information on the Internet. "I want to hear what's going on around the world with regard to content creation and access to information," he said.

Remote participation in many main sessions of the event also is being made possible via webcast, with opportunities for viewers to e-mail questions and comments in four different languages. There will be a live chat function for online discussion, organizers said.