Daily Archives: December 16, 2003

Maria Farrell, who works as a lobbyist for an undisclosed international membership organization based in Paris (OECD? ICC?) writes a great account of WSIS at Crooked Timber. Below I include a sampler, but it's worth clicking the link to get the whole thing.

Other interesting WSIS links include:

• An interview with the head of the US delegation in which he is basically bragging that the U.S. achieved its objective of protecting the the status quo on such issues as Net governance and funding or, in the case of software, ensure that the interests of major U.S.-based suppliers — notably Microsoft Corp. — got represented.
• 'The Daily Summit'
• Archives of Virtual WSIS CS Plenary Group Space
• A grumpy Larry Lessig
• Andy Oram's gumpy in a different way Gee, when did we give away the Internet? (blogged previously).

[Links snagged from all over, espeically Lextext]

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Belarus KGB chief: Internet should be brought under control (10/12/2003):

KGB should exert control over Internet, because international terrorism and organized crime more and more often use WWW. “We are trying to provide all the possibilities, and legal – fist of all, in order to be able to control Internet, “- said Mr. Leonid Erin, chief of Belarusian KGB.

Mr. Erin emphasizes that he understands criticism of this position, especially in connection with human rights violation. But he insists that prior to that are state interests and secret services activities.

Note that although the underlying motives may differ substantially, one hopes, the official position as to what should happen is not that different from that of many governments, including several democracies.