Governments from around the world will soon gather in Dubai at the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT), where they will negotiate a binding international treaty that could change the internet as we know it.
Several countries are proposing to expand the powers of a government-dominated institution, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Some proposals could legitimize monitoring and blocking online traffic. Others threaten privacy, seek to impose new fees for accessing content, or could very well slow down connection speeds¹.
Governments in Latin America to Africa to Asia are expressing doubt about these proposals, and we've been told that hearing directly from their citizens could sway their vote. Together with Fight for the Future², Access has put together a video to mobilize the global internet to call on our governments to oppose handing over key decisions about the internet to the ITU.
Let’s use the internet’s global reach to save it. Watch and share the video by clicking the link below, and sign this urgent petition. We'll deliver it before they gather in Dubai on December 3:
https://www.WhatistheITU.org
For an open internet,
The Access Team
PS: Enjoy our weekly newsletter, the Access Express. We've received a great response.
¹ Access ITU Resource Center
² Fight for the Future
Access is an international NGO that promotes open access to the internet as a means to free, full and safe participation in society and the realization of human rights.
Comments
The stakes couldn't be higher
Telecom giants and repressive regimes around the world are teaming up to make the Internet more expensive, surveilled, and censored. The stakes couldn't be higher. We need you to take a stand as part of a global community right now.
Wow. Telecom giants and repressive regimes are teaming up to use a little-known UN agency to make the Internet more expensive,1 surveilled,2 and censored.3
We need you to take a stand as part of a global community right now.
Internet freedom means connection with loved ones, open innovation, and free expression without interference by Big Telecom or repressive governments. All this is under threat right now, but you can make a difference in just a few seconds.
You are part of what’s shaping up to be the largest movement in history, and the stakes couldn't be higher.
We're already working together globally to stop new Internet restrictions from being imposed through trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP),4 and we've taken massive strides in Canada to push back against Big Telecom's price-gouging activities.5 This kind of success is unique and inspiring, and it's something you should be proud of.
Please don't let them take it away from you – raise your voice now.
Thank you so much for being a part of this,
Steve, on behalf of your OpenMedia Team
P.S. Whether it’s stopping Big Telecom price-gouging and online surveillance in Canada, or opening the secret negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to citizen comments, we’re bringing the pro-Internet community together to amplify your voice. Our community can only continue to be successful with stable support; you can help by becoming an Ally.
Footnotes
[1] See our blog, ITU proposals threaten Internet freedom and access, or the Center for Democracy and Technology’s Two Page Memo on Telecom Operators Proposal for New Internet Charging Scheme [PDF]
[2] See our blog, UN proposals threaten the Internet as we know it, or the Wired magazine article, The Kremlin’s New Internet Surveillance Plan Goes Live Today
[3] See GigaOM: Is the UN the next big threat to Internet freedom?
[4] See the successes with the StopTheTrap.net campaign so far listed in this recent letter to supporters: It’s time to amplify our voice against the TPP’s Internet trap
[5] See our infographic about the famous StopTheMeter.ca campaign here, or learn more about how we recently pushed for (and won) transparency around Big Telecom’s costs here.
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You knocked us offline....thanks for inspiring us
So many people (from around the world) took action yesterday that our systems were overwhelmed and knocked offline!
Your OpenMedia team has been working tirelessly, and I’m happy to report that our systems are back online and ready for massive action. We need as many people as possible to take action on this serious threat to global connection. Please visit our website to speak out now.
Thanks for inspiring us,
Steve, for your OpenMedia team
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Access is an international NGO that promotes open access to the internet as a means to free, full and safe participation in society and the realization of human rights. To help protect the internet around the world, you can donate to Access. To reply, please email Access@accessnow.org.