[CCWG-ACCT] Follow-up from the Word Internet Conference in China

Fri Dec 25 16:44:24 UTC 2015

Really?

Check these links:
https://espresso.economist.com/c2cc4243fe2575474d57dfe7380fc9ef
The grand title is misleading: the gathering will not celebrate the joys of a borderless internet but promote “internet sovereignty”, a web made up of sovereign fiefs, gagged by official censors.

http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/12/15/459834560/chinas-internet-forum-may-provide-a-peek-at-its-cyber-ambitions
One important theme, even if it's not stated explicitly, is how governments can keep some level of control over the Internet… Hosting the meeting is the head of China's Cyberspace Administration, a former journalist named Lu Wei… He admitted that China does block some foreign websites, but he unapologetically asserted China's right to pick its friends and its business partners.
"We do not welcome those who make money from China and occupy our market while vilifying us," he said — a pointed reference to online criticism of China. "No family likes to invite unfriendly people to be their guests."
China blocks many websites without which the Internet would be unimaginable in the West — including Twitter, Facebook, The New York Times and YouTube — because the government cannot control their content….

http://www.techpolicydaily.com/technology/china-internet-governance/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=paramount&utm_campaign=cict
At the summit, China’s President Xi Jinping sent clear signals that China plans to continue to control its Internet borders, and called upon neighboring countries to support the right to do so. President Xi called for “cyber sovereignty,” advocating that individual countries should have the right to choose how and when to regulate the Internet inside their physical borders without interference by other governments. He outlined a digital future in which governments could set online standards and challenge the free flow of information and content across borders… In the eyes of the Chinese government, this type of “cyber sovereignty” trumps free expression for individuals…
 In his speech, President Xi called on governments to come together to agree on guiding principles for Internet governance, and only involving the non-governmental parts of today’s Internet community once these principles are already solidified….
China’s government-led approach to Internet governance is in direct conflict with today’s multi-stakeholder model, where all constituents of the online world – including NGOs, academia, the private sector, and technical experts – have seats at the table.

Now some may respond that those are biased western views. So here’s the official Chinese perspective, from two editorials that ran in China Voice during WIC:
http://www.wuzhenwic.org/2015-12/16/c_47759.htm
The achievements partly rely on China's constant resolution to uphold cyber-sovereignty - an individual country's right to choose its own Internet regulation model - which biased Western critics decry as negating the open nature of the Internet… Cyber-sovereignty is also key to the reform of the global Internet governance system where existing rules "hardly reflect the desires and interests of a majority of countries."
With its distinct competitive edges in information technology, the U.S. has turned its tenet of "unilateral globalism" into the ugly "global unilateralism" to build a cyberspace governance system that is far from being fair and just.
That's why Xi called for a reform of international cyberspace governance to one that features a multilateral approach with multi-party participation rather than "one party calling the shots."

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-12/17/c_134927991.htm
Discussion of sovereignty over the Internet has long been a taboo, dismissed in Western media as violation of freedom… With so much discussion on the need to better guard cyber sovereignty and security, the criticisms of China's cyberspace sovereignty by media are irresponsible.
Some Western media or tech firms are not allowed in China because they are not willing to abide by Chinese laws. As a result, they may seize the World Internet Conference as another opportunity to show their grudges… The increasing number of users and the expanding market is the best evidence that China's policies are working. Temporary measures to regulate cyberspace security will be meliorated and institutionalized in the future, regardless of wrong accusations from the outside.

All my research indicates that the goals of WIC are to advance an agenda encompassing a multilateral model of Internet Governance and gain international blessing for a concept of cyber sovereignty that encompasses pervasive state surveillance and censorship.

Fadi may advocate for the MSM within that context, but it’s likely to be about as effective as preaching sobriety in a saloon.

Philip S. Corwin, Founding Principal
Virtualaw LLC
1155 F Street, NW
Suite 1050
Washington, DC 20004
202-559-8597/Direct
202-559-8750/Fax
202-255-6172/cell

Twitter: @VlawDC

"Luck is the residue of design" -- Branch Rickey

From: Tijani BEN JEMAA [mailto:tijani.benjemaa at benjemaa.com]
Sent: Friday, December 25, 2015 11:12 AM
To: farzaneh badii
Cc: Phil Corwin; avri at acm.org; accountability-cross-community at icann.org
Subject: Re: [CCWG-ACCT] Follow-up from the Word Internet Conference in China

I do agree with Avri. Fadi would never accept anything that leads to an intergovernmental Internet Governance; at the contrary, I think it is a way to reinforce the MSM in the advisory committee, and in the World Internet Conference.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tijani BEN JEMAA
Directeur Exécutif
Fédération Méditerranéenne des associations d'Internet (FMAI)
Phone: +216 98 330 114
             +216 52 385 114
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Le 25 déc. 2015 à 03:01, farzaneh badii <farzaneh.badii at gmail.com<mailto:farzaneh.badii at gmail.com>> a écrit :

I agree Phil. I think as well as global public interest, we should  define personal capacity. I don't really think decision makers that have a prominent role in influencing people's views about the organization can do anything that is related to Internet governance and argue that it was in their personal capacity. the line is blurry, people get confused as everyone got confused in this occasion.

On 25 December 2015 at 02:10, Phil Corwin <psc at vlaw-dc.com<mailto:psc at vlaw-dc.com>> wrote:
Avri:

I don't think this is a crisis, but it is a matter of judgment.

Fadi was in Wuzhen on ICANN's dime. The Chinese press announcement of his Co-Chair role prominently touts his ICANN affiliation and thereby associates ICANN with the WIC. The WIC's objectives raises substantial questions about whether it is compatible with the MSM. And his post-ICANN  role with a Chinese initiative that appears to favor multilateral IG may raise questions in Washington that could complicate lifting the freeze on the IANA transition.

If I were a senior staff person I would want to give my Board advance notice of such a decision prior to its public announcement. But others may have a different POV.

And with that, I shall stop and simply add -- Happy Holidays!

Best, Philip

Philip S. Corwin, Founding Principal
Virtualaw LLC
1155 F Street, NW
Suite 1050
Washington, DC 20004
202-559-8597/Direct
202-559-8750/Fax
202-255-6172/cell

Twitter: @VlawDC

"Luck is the residue of design" -- Branch Rickey

-----Original Message-----
From: accountability-cross-community-bounces at icann.org<mailto:accountability-cross-community-bounces at icann.org> [mailto:accountability-cross-community-bounces at icann.org<mailto:accountability-cross-community-bounces at icann.org>] On Behalf Of Avri Doria
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2015 7:47 PM
To: accountability-cross-community at icann.org<mailto:accountability-cross-community at icann.org>
Subject: Re: [CCWG-ACCT] Follow-up from the Word Internet Conference in China

Hi,

I do not understand the crisis over this decision.  The guy took a volunteer position, why does the Board need to approve that or even be notified in advance.  If it really bugs them, they can tell him to give it up or leave sooner.  But why should they care?  Is there some extraordinary expense to ICANN in this role?  Or does it just not fit into an isolationist position many are taking toward ICANN participation in the larger Internet governance environment.

Are we tending a bit much toward micromanagement of the CEO?  I have never been one of his fans, but this seems a bit much to make an issue over.

avri

On 24-Dec-15 09:47, Phil Corwin wrote:
> Bruce:
>
> >From your email it appears that the Board was briefed by Fadi on his role as Co-Chair of the Advisory Committee after it was publicly announced that he had accepted the position, indicating that the Board was not advised in advance of his decision to accept the role.
>
> Is that a correct interpretation of the sequence of events?
>
> Thank you and best regards,
> Philip
>
> Philip S. Corwin, Founding Principal
> Virtualaw LLC
> 1155 F Street, NW
> Suite 1050
> Washington, DC 20004
> 202-559-8597/Direct
> 202-559-8750/Fax
> 202-255-6172/cell
>
> Twitter: @VlawDC
>
> "Luck is the residue of design" -- Branch Rickey
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accountability-cross-community-bounces at icann.org<mailto:accountability-cross-community-bounces at icann.org>
> [mailto:accountability-cross-community-bounces at icann.org<mailto:accountability-cross-community-bounces at icann.org>] On Behalf Of
> Bruce Tonkin
> Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2015 6:07 AM
> To: accountability-cross-community at icann.org<mailto:accountability-cross-community at icann.org>
> Subject: [CCWG-ACCT] Follow-up from the Word Internet Conference in
> China
>
>
> Hello All,
>
> I have had a few requests for information on ICANN's participation in
> the World Internet Conference which was held in Wuzhen, China:
> http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/cnleaders/2015WIC/ and
> http://www.wicwuzhen.cn/english
>
> ICANN sent a contingent to the conference as part of its Strategic Goal 1.2 "Bring ICANN to the world by creating a balanced and proactive approach to regional engagement with stakeholders."
>
> Fadi attended as CEO and gave a speech, and George Sadowsky attended as a Board member.
>
> Subsequent to the conference, the conference organizers announced that Fadi would co-chair a high level advisory committee for the next conference.
>
> http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-12/18/c_134928240.htm
>
> The Board had a call with Fadi to get a briefing.
>
> Fadi has now posted a blog that notes that he has accepted this role in his personal capacity, and the advisory committee will meet after his term as CEO is completed in March 2016.
>
> See:
> https://www.icann.org/news/blog/my-transition-from-icann-ceo-an-update
>
> Regards,
> Bruce Tonkin
>
>
>
>
>
>
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