Policy recommendations for the American position in international Internet

governance negotiations

Luke Wadman, IEEE-WISE intern

July 31st, 2013

Rayburn HOB Room 2325

Splinternet versus open Internet

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• What is the Internet, and what does it mean to govern it?• What are the issues? What’s at

stake?• The policy routes• Recommendations

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Coming soon, to a PowerPoint near you

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7/31/13 Source: Qmee.com

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Definition: ”Internet governance is the development and application by Governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet.”• In English, please!

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Internet governance – a briefer introduction

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Two models: multistakeholder and cybersovereignty•Multistakeholder: current model, represents civil society, private sector, government equally• Cybersovereignty: Government have final say, civil society and private sector serve as advisors

Multistakeholder: current, “open” Internet versusCybersovereignty: government borders, Splinternet

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More Internet governance: models

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•China ISPs are large and infrastructure robust some international traffic routed through China (mostly S. Korea, Thailand, Singapore)•Can result in traffic/service interruptions• If you’re an international IT company, bad for business!• Also bad for user experience: making international calls with phone vs. Internet

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The Splinternet is here – in China

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• Impacts of PRISM/Verizon metadata collection go beyond privacy concerns in US

• Diplomatic and international repercussions if trust over the Internet is broken – it’s all based on trust!

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Let’s talk about PRISM…not Snowden, please!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Side_of_the_Moonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRISM_(surveillance_program)

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• US House: HR 1580, AKA Affirm the policy of the United States regarding Internet governance

• Similar measures taken up by previous Congresses

• More policy action needs to be taken ahead of International negotiations in 2014, 2015

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Current policy/reactions

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#1: Status quo (currently in play)• Stay the course, free Internet, sit on our cyber hands• Pro: Keep Internet open and free•Con: Ignore the holes in the message/leave us open to criticism on US control of Internet

#2: Enhance official cyber relations• Cyber Policy office in White House, to work on domestic policy issues and solid position• Cybers Affairs bureau in State, to take position to international negotiations, be better prepared• Pro: Stronger focus on good position, less hypocrisy than #1•Con: Appears heavy handed, costs $

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Policy Alternatives

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#3: More power to the people!• Engage civil society in stakeholder process further, allow for more transparency and access.•Make the average user care! Easier said than done.•More transparency and separation between US intelligence operations and Internet – right now, doesn’t look great• Pro: Preferred by most users, who drive Internet economy•Con: Feasible?

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More Policy Alternatives

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Blend of #2, and #3• Build up official channels for bringing focused, reasonable model of multistakeholder to Internet governance discussions• Allow users more control of data and utilize more open-sourced model for Internet structures & rules• Support movements like Amash amendment. More care about privacy more respect on international Internet• Advantage: Happier users = better support of model being taken into international negotiation = ensuring open Internet in the future• Problems: needs money to function, but not too much.

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Policy Recommendation

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Questions?

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