A number of countries are presently holding closed-door meetings in preparation for the impending worldwide debate over changes to the telecommunications treaty in December, which may foster restrictions to the Internet.
Even as individual countries revise their own laws over limitations on the Internet, the United Nations is considering possible amendments to the telecommunications treaty, which could lead to global Internet censorship.
The World Conference on International Telecommunications scheduled for Dubai is expected to host over 190 nations.
The countries will discuss changes to the 24-year-old telecommunications treaty called the International Telecommunications Regulations, says the Associated Press.
A number of countries are of the view that the treaty should remain intact while others are considering changing the language.
According to a UN document that contained proposed amendments to the treaty released last month, Russian argued that the public should be allowed unrestricted access to international communication services except when international telecommunication services are interfere with the internal affairs or undermine the sovereignty, national security, territorial integrity and public safety of other nations.
The changes to the International Telecommunications Regulations may have many unforeseen ramifications for citizens of countries that use the Internet to voice government opposition.
For instance, if Russia’s suggested proposal surmounts, revolutions including the Arab Spring could be averted, says the Cnet.
The U.S. delegation has however vowed to block any language that would agree to any censorship.
Speaking to the Associated Press, deputy assistant secretary of state and U.S. coordinator for international communications and information policy Philip Verveer said: “It is important that when we have values, as we do in the area of free speech and the free flow of information, that we do everything that we can to articulate and sustain those values.”
According to Dara Kerr of Cnet, nothing would be decided until the conference, “even then, there must be a consensus agreement by all member states to make any amendments.”
Hamadoun Toure, secretary general of the U.N. agency that oversees the treaty, said that all proposals must be agreed upon to by all member states otherwise they would miss inclusion in the final document, said the Cnet.
