Future of the Internet Debated at Net Mundial in Brazil

by Leo Kelion, BBC News 

The future governance structure of the Internet will be debated at the two-day Net Mundial event in Brazil following an announcement by the United States that it will cede its oversight of Net address distribution in favor of a global multi-stakeholder community by September 2015.

“The Internet is a collective construction and its governance process must also be built that way,” argues Brazil Secretary for Information Technology Policy Virgilio Almeida. The goal of Net Mundial is to reach agreement on common principles and emphasize specific issues that could form the foundation of future Internet governance discussions.

China, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan say it should be stipulated in the draft outcome document that follow-up deliberations should transpire “within the United Nations framework.”

However, the U.S., Australia, and several European countries contend such responsibility should instead go to a body that is not swayed by any governments. “The document should focus on promoting cooperation to deal with cybercrime and cybersecurity instead of advancing controversial treaties or international agreements,” says the U.S. State Department. Privacy advocates also voice concern the issue of government Web surveillance could be sidelined.  Read the report of this meeting

DCL: The governance of the Internet will affect all of us.  Make you opinions known to your political representatives, and make sure they understand its importance,  before the whole issue becomes a complete bureaucratic  mess.