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

Avri Doria avri at acm.org
Fri Dec 25 16:54:41 UTC 2015


Hi,

Seems all the more reason to get involved and try to stop them from
achieving this goal.

avri


On 25-Dec-15 11:44, Phil Corwin wrote:
>
> 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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>      
>
>     -- 
>
>     Farzaneh
>
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