[WSIS CS-Plenary] Call for an international treaty on freedom of the Internet

[Ronald Koven]

Dear Nabil El-Khodari --

Please let me understand this: You are asking for an international treaty
-- meaning something signed by and binding upon governments -- and which
will provide that governments may not file complaints about Internet
content.

The unlikelihood of governments accepting such a self-denying ordinance is
so high that it should underline for you the danger inherent in your call
for such an international treaty. An international treaty of the kind you
are seeking is bound to contain provisions allowing governments to impose
restrictions. That is in the nature of most of the governments involved. 

Often, one of the worst things that can happen in life is that you get what
you ask for, because it won't be what you want.

What we do need is respect for and implementation of the most important
existing international text in this field, that is to say, Article 19 of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Criminal activities can
ordinarily be handled under existing national penal codes. Any
international body to deal with such offenses will necessarily represent
major repressive regimes who will want to exploit the opening to restrict
Internet content, using such pretexts as protection of children to reduce
permissible content to the lowest common political denominator.

What is needed is for pressure to be generated on such governments to open
up. What we don't need is to give those governments openings for imposition
of still broader restrictions than they already impose.

Rony Koven

 
I totally agree with Nnenna. Though I would encourage establishment of an
international body to investigate complaints about use of Internet for
fraud, phishing, identity theft, etc. but NOT to police the internet. One
of
its duties is also to receive complaints and respond to them regarding site
blocking and filtering. It should have the power to investigate and punish
(up to canceling domain name) of search engines that use these techniques
in
response to government/corporations pressures.
 
I hope that an international agreement be reached to that effect and only
on
receipt of legitimate complaints from users/companies and NOT governments.
Such agreement should express freedom of expression and freedom of the
Internet as an alternative source of information. It should protect
legitimate websites from blocking, filtering, etc. This agreement should be
ratified by all UN members.
 
Sincerely,
  

Nabil El-Khodari <mailto:webmaster at nilebasin.com> 
Founder/Treasurer
Nile Basin Society
Tel.: +1 (647) 722-3256
Fax: +1 (647) 722-3273  

http://nilebasin.com <http://nilebasin.com/> 
http://nilebasin.net <http://nilebasin.net/> 
http://nile.ca <http://nile.ca/>        
108 Waterbury Dr.
Toronto, Ontario, M9R 3Y3
Canada  

"If the people will lead, the leaders will follow." Dr. David Suzuki