IGF Takes Aim at Public Policy, Key Internet Resources
GENEVA -- The management of “core resources” of the Internet must go on the agenda of the 2nd meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Rio de Janeiro, Nov. 12- 15, officials said at the IGF meeting here. Nitin Desai, special adviser to the U.N. Secy. Gen. for Internet Governance, said: “There is an expectation that we will be discussing issues relating to Internet core resources in the main session.”
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But key issues remain unresolved as internal differences simmer. The IGF emerged from accord among 172 nations during the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) on the need for a forum in which parties can discuss policy and other concerns. The Rio agenda will focus on Internet governance for development, emphasizing more telecom and human networks, said Markus Kummer, exec.-coordinator for the IGF secretariat.
The next 2 days, the 40-member advisory group of the IGF will “flesh this out, and how,” Desai said. The IGF also is expected to have a special discussion on the most recent distributed denial of service attack on the central root server system.
During the discussion, the U.S. delegate underscored the paramount role of business. “We believe that the genius of the Internet is that it has been decentralized and private sector-led, encouraging individual creativity, access, and value added at the edges of the network,” said the U.S. delegate, warning against heavy-handed govt. oversight. But the privileged U.S. role was at the center of the disputes over Internet governance issues during WSIS.
The IGF can discuss critical Internet resources, under the WSIS accord. China, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and El Salvador, speaking for Latin American and Caribbean nations, said the next meeting should discuss root servers and IP addresses. “One way or another, Rio will have to address critical Internet resources,” Kummer said: “But it’s more an issue on how to frame the discussion.” Some want to focus on Internet governance institutions, “but others say it will be fruitless because it will be a repetition of a politicized debate, which will go nowhere,” he said.
The Rio meeting should have a session on global Internet public policy issues, said Bill Drake on behalf of the Internet Governance Caucus. “We'd like to probe a little bit deeper into what is public policy on the Internet and when do we need to use global institutions to establish it,” he said. Another session should focus on core Internet resources and their current governance institutions, including ICANN and regional Internet registries, he said. The IGF’s mandate also should be addressed, he said.
Other issues are brewing. Brazil wants to combat high international interconnection costs, said Everton Lucero, head of the Div. of Science & Technology at Brazil’s Ministry of External Relations. “One of the biggest obstacles to digital inclusion in developing countries are the high costs of connection,” charged by the relatively small number of providers, he said.
The IGF should give more weight to regulatory environments, investment climates and business practices, the Internet Society said. “Legal, policy and regulatory conditions that enable investment and innovation, promote competition and foster entrepreneurship should be considered in discussions about access,” Ilkka Lakaniemi of Nokia Siemens Networks said on behalf of the International Chamber of Commerce.
The Council of Europe wants to exchange insights on cybercrime, such as sexual exploitation of children and trafficking on the Internet. The IGF also could address new problems such as whether virtual child abuse on websites is acceptable to values, freedom or the rule of law, it said.
A U.N. reshuffling in N.Y.C. delayed the IGF advisory group’s reconvening, said Desai. An informal meeting of invited guests will draw up a proposal Thurs. and Fri. for Secy.-Gen. Ban Ki-Moon, who will make a final decision on the agenda. The 3rd IGF meeting will be in India, probably around Nov. 2008, Desai said.