<nettime> #OurNETmundial! Our Internet Needs Mo

[Felix Stalder <felix@openflows.com>]

Themes: NETmundial, INTERNET GOVERNANCE, FREEDOMS ONLINE, DILMA
ROUSSEFF, NET NEUTRALITY, SURVEILLANCE

La Quadrature du Net – For immediate release

Permanent link:
https://www.laquadrature.net/en/ournetmundial-our-internet-needs-more-than-internet-governance

#OurNETmundial! Our Internet Needs More Than “Internet Governance”


*** São Paulo, 25 April 2014 — Under the influence by governments and
corporations, the final outcome document [1] of the NETmundial forum
became a weak, toothless and disappointing text. Despite the Brazilian
president's courageous speeches [2], NETmundial illustrates just how
farcical and pointless efforts for a “global multistakeholder Internet
Governance” are. If anything, the Net should be “governed” by citizens
directly, independently of these circles and without waiting for the
“global consensus”. Our shared communications infrastructure must be
considered a common good, politically defined as such and defended. ***

President Dilma Rousseff's courageous speech in favour of freedoms
online, Net Neutrality and against mass surveillance had little to no
impact on the outcome of NETmundial. The final version of the “Internet
governance principles” document is much worse than previous drafts [3]:
all mention of non-discrimination of communications (Net Neutrality),
even though already very weak, were removed, while passages on
respecting copyright were added. At the same time, those portions of the
text addressing mass surveillance – the very reason why NETmundial was
called! – are laughable, calling for nothing more than “more dialogue”
in order to reach “understanding”, failing completely to call for any
concrete action.

NETmundial has one major positive outcome however: It exposed the
“global multistakeholder Internet Governance” for what it is, the absurd
circus of ten years of Internet Governance Forum (IGF), of sterile
discussions that keep citizens busy, in which corporations and
governments have the final word, and from where nothing concrete that
defends the general interest ever results. NETmundial's Internet
governance farce [4], must serve as a wake up call to citizens who truly
wish to end mass surveillance and foster our freedoms online.

“We must obtain the protection of our rights and freedoms through a
political fight, by creating a global context that will force
governments to protect the Internet as a common good, inspired by
previous centuries of struggles for human and civil rights. We must
demand from governments all around the world that they inspire
themselves from the recently adopted Brazilian Marco Civil da Internet:
even though it is far from perfect [5], it is a model for how courageous
citizens can join with a courageous government to act for the concrete
protection of citizen freedoms and the free Internet” concluded Jérémie
Zimmermann, co-founder of La Quadrature du Net.


* References *

1.
https://www.laquadrature.net/files/NETmundial-Multistakeholder-Document.pdf

2.
http://netmundial.br/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/NETMundial-23April2014-Dilma-Rousseff-Opening-Speech-en.pdf

3. https://wikileaks.org/netmundial-outcome/

4.
https://www.laquadrature.net/en/the-internet-governance-farce-and-its-multi-stakeholder-illusion

5. Article 15 of Marco Civil mandates that Internet service providers
keep records of their users' connections, an obvious violation of
privacy recently condemned by the Court of Justice of the European
Union:
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/data-retention-eu-court-of-justice-denounces-mandatory-data-retention
Its definition of Net Neutrality is also open to further exceptions
determined by the network regulator.




** About La Quadrature du Net **


La Quadrature du Net is an advocacy group that defends the rights and
freedoms of citizens on the Internet. More specifically, it advocates
for the adaptation of French and European legislations to respect the
founding principles of the Internet, most notably the free circulation
of knowledge.

In addition to its advocacy work, the group also aims to foster a better
understanding of legislative processes among citizens. Through specific
and pertinent information and tools, La Quadrature du Net hopes to
encourage citizens' participation in the public debate on rights and
freedoms in the digital age.

La Quadrature du Net is supported by French, European and international
NGOs including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Open Society
Institute and Privacy International.

List of supporting organisations:
https://www.laquadrature.net/en/they-support-la-quadrature-du-net




** Press contact and press room **

contact@laquadrature.net, +33 (0) 972 294 426

https://www.laquadrature.net/en/press-room


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