Digital Discourse / Archives for internet

SIIA Applauds Senate Resolution Opposing International Internet Regulation

July 18, 2012 By

SIIA today announced its support of the recent introduction of a bipartisan Senate Resolution (S. Con. Res. 50) opposing efforts to bring the Internet under unnecessary international governmental control.

We applaud Senator Rubio (R-FL) and the bipartisan group of Senators for defending the Web from control by intergovernmental bodies that could threaten today’s reality of Internet freedom. Expanding the control of Intergovernmental bodies could give undue power to governments that seek to undermine Internet freedom and international trade. We need to maintain a global Internet free from unnecessary international governmental control.

Specifically, several countries have offered misguided, potentially harmful Internet governance proposals to be considered at the 2012 World Conference on International Telecommunications that could fundamentally and adversely alter the operation of the Internet. It is imperative to preserve and advance the successful multistakeholder model that governs the Internet today – not only to maintain Internet freedom for the United States but for countries around the world.

Ken WaschKen Wasch is President of SIIA.

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SIIA Applauds House Committee Passage of Legislation Opposing U.N. Regulation of the Internet

June 20, 2012 By

SIIA commends today’s unanimous, bipartisan committee passage of a House Resolution (H. Con. Res. 127) opposing efforts to bring the Internet under unnecessary international governmental control.

We applaud the House Energy and Commerce Committee for defending the Web from control by international bodies that could threaten today’s reality of Internet freedom. Expanding U.N. control over the Internet could give undue power to governments that seek to undermine Internet freedom and international trade. We need a global Internet free from unnecessary international governmental control.

Last year, Russia, China, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan proposed a U.N. code of conduct stating that policy authority for Internet-related public issues is the sovereign right of states. While many government agencies, especially law enforcement and national security departments, would agree that their jurisdiction extends to actions on the internet, the real worry is how governments and international agencies that are hostile to Internet freedom could interpret and apply these broad principles. The proposed code of conduct could be used to limit the ability of individuals and firms to exchange legitimate Internet traffic across borders and create significant digital trade barriers.

All countries have benefited from the open, transparent nature of the Internet, and will continue to do so under the current multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance.

Ken WaschKen Wasch is President of SIIA.

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SIIA Applauds Resolution to Promote Global Internet Free from Government Control

May 31, 2012 By

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.

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