SIIA lauds the bi-partisan House Resolution (H. Con. Res. 127) introduced introduced by House Commerce Committee leadership yesterday, which reaffirmed “the consistent and unequivocal policy of the United States to promote a global Internet free from government control and preserve and advance the successful multi-stakeholder model that governs the Internet today.” This was followed by a hearing in the House Commerce Committee airing the problems in international regulation of the Internet.
The concern is that control over the Internet might move to international bodies that could be hostile to today’s reality of Internet freedom. Last year, for example, Russia, China, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan proposed a code of conduct for information security on the Internet at the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The code said many sensible things including an injunction to “fully respect rights and freedom in information space, including rights and freedom to search for, acquire and disseminate information on the premise of complying with relevant national laws and regulations.”
It also said that “policy authority for Internet-related public issues is the sovereign right of States, which have rights and responsibilities for international Internet-related public policy issues.” Many government agencies, especially law enforcement and national security departments, but also consumer protection agencies, would readily agree that their jurisdiction extends to actions on the Internet.
The real worry is that in the application of these broad principles countries or international agencies acting on their behalf could effectively limit the ability of individuals and firms to exchange Internet traffic across borders and create what amount to digital trade barriers of the 21st century. All countries have benefited from the open, transparent character of the Internet, and will continue to do so under the current multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance.
SIIA applauds Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Mary Bono Mack (R-CA), along with Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), and Ranking Member Anna Eshoo (D-CA) for their sponsorship of this important resolution defending Internet freedom.
Mark MacCarthy, Vice President, Public Policy at SIIA, directs SIIA’s public policy initiatives in the areas of intellectual property enforcement, information privacy, cybersecurity, cloud computing and the promotion of educational technology.