What did happen at the ITU meetings in Dubai???

As a follow-up to an earlier post this month, we’ll revisit the WCIT 2012 meetings in Dubai and try to determine what exactly happened there.  Now that the ITU (International Telecommunications Union) meetings are over it seems there are two opposing views on the event.  One is the official version of consensus and success, the other is the sigh of relief by Internet organizations that a bullet has been dodged.

Of course, the truth lies somewhere in between.  Yes, the meeting did result in a new Treaty being adopted.  Yes, the fact that many countries will not sign the Treaty means that it will be unenforceable.

So what is the take-away?  First I think the most interesting aspect of this whole tempest is the light that was shed on the way International organizations conduct business.  For those who have never been involved in politics at this level, trying to participate in and understand the event proved challenging and enlightening.  Standards folks often believe that standards represent the triumph of reason.  International forums prove that standards are a result of a political process and you’re best not to forget it!

Secondly,  the meetings highlight the fact that nations have a stake in the Internet and are searching for ways to assert control over the wires used to transport all those packets, even as they’ve traditionally controlled telegraph and telephone lines.  ITU has historically done much good in the world by harmonizing the way your phone, fax, and Western Union wires work everywhere you need to communicate.  It is not surprising that ITU is the first battleground for inserting national interests into the protocols used by the Internet.

Third, the meeting highlights the strong resolve of the United States, the European Union, and others to support the current Internet system.  Of course, the flip side of this is we’re now aware of the desire of Russia, China, Arab and African countries to find a means to generate tax revenue and promote censorship under an Internationally sanctioned agreement.

Will this divide in outlook crop up again?  Most assuredly so.  We can consider Dubai to be yet another salvo in an on-going battle to define the Internet and how the Internet is controlled.  Congratulations to interested Techies in helping to bring a little sunshine into the process and help us all understand how this particular venue a bit more.

From our earliest days on the Internet in 1993, it has been clear that there are competing interests all looking to dominate this new communications tool.  Whether it’s the demands of business or government, someone is always looking for a way to dominate the media and change how you use this new environment.  I have always hoped for the continued success of the technical experts who were the first Internet standards developers.  But which side won this time?

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