[discuss] Just Net Coalition Response to NetMundial Outcome Document

[Norbert Bollow]

Dear all,

please find below and attached the Just Net Coalition's response to
the draft NetMundial Outcome Document.

Greetings,
Norbert
co-convenor, Just Net Coalition


* Just Net Coalition Response to NetMundial Outcome Document *

President Dilma's Speech in the UN General assembly last September,
resonated throughout the world. It expressed the outrage of the people
on the "grave violation of human rights and of civil liberties", the
threat of "cyberspace being used as a weapon of war" and violation
sovereign rights of countries including Brazil. She expressed the
global discontent in the way the Internet is being currently governed.
She called for protection of data as it travels on the web and
multilateral mechanisms (or UN mechanisms) for the Internet to ensure
democratic governance, cultural diversity, inclusive and non
discriminatory societies, and responsible regulation.

It is in this context within which the NetMundial conference -- on
April 23rd-24th -- is taking place in Sao Paulo for which Brazil has
taken the initiative.

Unfortunately, all the above issues that President Dilma highlighted in
her UN speech, are missing from the current draft that is being placed
before the conference. The document fails to mention the word
'democracy' at all - and instead talks only about the multistakeholder
model and governance on the basis of consensus. This, even though such
systems have failed in protecting the global citizens from drag-net
surveillance, the threat of cyber war and the emergence of global
monopolies. Such a model also completely ignores the concept of public
interest in Internet governance.

If we take the pharmaceutical example, a multistakeholder governance
would have meant deciding /by consensus/-- between global pharma, AIDS
patients in the global south and global governments -- what should be
the cost of such lifesaving drugs, without addressing or identifying
where public good lies. Brazil and other countries rejected such an
approach and that iswhy people in the global south today can afford to
buy drugs for their treatment. And who would accept that pharmaceutical
companies have equal rights with respect to decisions on safety and
effectiveness of their products?

A model that gives equal rights for public policy to governments, and
corporations, is giving global corporations, a veto to prevent any
meaningful reform and regulation. This is a violation of all democratic
norms and the rights of the people -- their political, economic, social
and cultural rights, essentially surrendering global public interest to
private, unelected, rich and powerful global corporations. How could,
for instance, network neutrality ever be imposed in such a model?

Governments are answerable to their people; corporations to their
shareholders. People and profits cannot be equated through a specific
model of governance. This is what NetMundial must address; not an
endorsement of the status quo but a new beginning in Internet
governance; an Internet governance that must place public good over
private profit, protect global citizens from mass surveillance and the
threat of cyber weapons. This is the leadership role that we would
expect President Dilma and Brazil to play in NetMundial. This is what
all countries and groups who believe in democracy, advancing human
rights and social justice and a peaceful world must strive for in the
final outcome document.

The Just Net Coalition has submitted a detailed clause-by-clause
amendment to the Draft of the NetMundial document. We believe that the
draft should be significantly revised to include the following:

1. A democratic and multistakeholder Internet governance model with
different roles and responsibilities for different stakeholders;
recognising that corporations and governments cannot be placed on an
equal footing in governing the Internet.

2. Restoring the reference to the necessary and proportionate principle
and therefore countering the continuation of mass surveillance.

3. Restoring reference to the need for a global compact on prohibition
of cyberwar and cyber weapons.

4. Adding a clear reference to net neutrality principles (the current
reference is too vague and ambiguous, permitting practices such as
tiered access and differential pricing).

5. Addressing emerging increased power of monopolies in the Internet
space with respect to cultural and language diversity, and
profiteering, and the need for regulating such monopolies.

6. Addressing the issue of appropriation and monetisation of data of the
people by corporations.

7. Recognizing the concept of global commons or public good in internet
governance.

8. Rejecting unilateral preconditions on the IANA transition
discussions.

We expect that the final outcome document will explicitly foster a
decentralized, free and open, non-hierarchical network of networks, and
not implicitly favour the current trends of Internet governance which
are leading us more and more towards monolithic, centralized walled
gardens. NetMundial must dedicate itself to a roadmap to for an open,
robust and resilient Internet -- acceptable to everyone including the
70 per cent unconnected majority.
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