[Chapter-delegates] NEWS RELEASE: Internet Society Expresses Concern over Direction of World Conference on International Telecommunications

[cover at isoc.org]

Internet Society Expresses Concern over Direction of World Conference on International Telecommunications

Statement from the CEO and President, Lynn St. Amour:

At the conclusion of today's plenary, the Internet Society is concerned about the direction that the ITRs are taking with regards to the Internet.  The Internet Society came to this meeting in the hopes that revisions to the treaty would focus on competition, liberalization, free flow of information, and independent regulation - things that have clearly worked in the field of telecommunications. Instead, these concepts seem to have been largely struck from the treaty text. Additionally, and contrary to assurances that this treaty is not about the Internet, the conference appears to have adopted, by majority, a resolution on the Internet. Amendments were apparently made to the text but were not published prior to agreement. This is clearly a disappointing development and we hope that tomorrow brings an opportunity for reconsideration of this approach.