back to article ITU to EU: We don't want to control the internet... honest

The ITU has reiterated that it does not want control of the internet, this time refuting a motion passed by the EU, which has joined the bandwagon fighting to preserve Google's future. The resolution, submitted by the Pirate Party among others, and passed last week, objects to the ITU trying to control the internet, at its …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It's not the ITU that's trying to control the internet

    It's a bunch of governments that want to control the internet by any means necessary. This includes, curiously, the USoA, though they use tricks a little different from the rest. They already do control the internet and only need to maintain the status quo to keep it. China, Russia, India, and so on, think it time for themselves to own a piece of that pie, and if they can't get at it individually, well, why not use a toothless proxy like, oh, the ITU maybe.

    That is to say, the problem is real but the remedy isn't working.

    1. JohnG

      Re: It's not the ITU that's trying to control the internet

      All this started when a few US politicians suggested that the USA could use its position to exert control over the Internet by taking control of bodies like ICANN. Although the idea didn't get off the ground in the USA, the mere suggestion was enough to worry countries like Russia and China. The problem now is that some countries may choose to segment their section of the Internet if they feel that the the governance of the Internet is not impartial. Such fragmentation of the Internet would be a disaster.

      The ITU has managed to establish agreements on things like international telephony between countries which are normally unable to agree on anything, so they may be the correct institution to broker any agreements about keeping the Internet together.

      1. Yes Me Silver badge

        Re: It's not the ITU that's trying to control the internet

        "The ITU has managed to establish agreements on things like international telephony between countries which are normally unable to agree on anything, so they may be the correct institution to broker any agreements about keeping the Internet together."

        I don't think so. The issue is freedom of access and freedom from government intrusion, and those are hardly ITU issues. All the Internet needs to be kept together is the absence of agreement to control it.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Pot and Kettle

    So now the EU states that the ITU lacks transparency ?

    HA, now that's a good joke if I ever heard one. Look where that statement is coming from, sjeesj. The same EU which one one hand claims that it won't further provide economic support for certain countries, only to easily 'lower' debts or actually provide millions, if not billions, of extra cash a few months later. For no other reasons other than "it was required".

    Sure; the EU members can now expect an increase in costs for approx. 70 million but hey!

    Yeah, a VERY open and transparent body this EU is. One which really sets the right example.

    Puhlease!

  3. graeme leggett Silver badge

    Worth reading it for this phrase alone

    "the kind beneficent expression usually seen on those whose god has told them they are right."

    I will also refer to Googles (and others) befuddling lobbying efforts as "fog juice " from this point forward

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    ITU? Transparent? Ha!

    "ITU publishes all proposals and invites businesses as well as governments to attend its meetings and debate the issues"

    What? Have you tried accessing anything relating to WCIT on the ITU web site? You can't, it's all password protected You have to go to wcitleaks or NXT who have leaked all the documents.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    ITU transparency is a joke

    IETF was established by reasearchers and hobbyists and have retained its original transparent character. Anyone interested may freely engage in policy or standards-development . Travelling to partitipate in coordinated meetings isn't for free, but most of the work and consensus-building discussions happen in open unrestricted online forums. With ITU you have to pay up to get access to documents. ITU-standards are littered with commercial patents, while IETF generally require technical standards to be open and free.

    1. Yes Me Silver badge

      Re: ITU transparency is a joke

      Just a note, the IETF *does not* do policy development. Fortunately.

  6. Tony Paulazzo
    Gimp

    Ok - I believe in the shadowy forces of the illuminati attempting to control the path of humanity, I believe that Hollywood are trying to usher in a one world government who's prime reason for existing is a boot on the face of humanity for ever after, I believe the world banks want to cull the Earth of the seven billion souls currently occupying it and take it back to about one billion, and I believe that Fairy washing up liquid lasts up to three times longer than cheaper brands; but this article smacks of a delusional conspiracy where Google are the bad guys and the ITU are the good guys...

    Even I find it hard to subscribe to this hypothesis (plus Google just let me upload all my music onto it's servers so I can listen to it on my ipad or Android phone whenever I'm 'connected' - the ITU haven't, so, you know).

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      El reg seems to have an unhealthy obsession with the ITU and I can only hope it realises that this is a bad idea which will hurt us all if it ever happens.

  7. ratfox

    The problem is not what the ITU is doing

    …even though this is not quite as transparent as the article claims. The problem is what it could do. The mere idea that anybody – anybody – is claiming to have a mandate to regulate the Internet is anathema to many.

  8. Originone

    So what is the real problem?

    The folks at Google et al. are not dumb so if its true then they know the ITU isn't/can't/doesn't want to take over the world. In which case what exactly is it the ITU can/does want to do that theose lobying against it really don't want to happen?

    I assume that whatever the real reason for their anti-ITU fervor is it won't win them the hearts and minds of joe public the way accusations of taking over the internet and destroying freedom does.

  9. d3rrial
    WTF?

    Yeeees, because we need deep packet inspection for our... hmm... safety? no, that doesn't tag along so well anymore... against.... child pornography? nah, this has been dragged through the mud already... ITS FOR THE WAR ON DRUGS! LETS DESTROY THE INTERNET AND WHEN WE ARE VICTORIOUS, ALL DRUG CARTELS WILL SEIZE TO EXIST!

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