Letter in The Guardian on the need for a world internet body 28.05.11

The Guardian 28.05.11

Letters Page

Dear Sir
 
Given the amazing legacy we have given the world in the computing, mathematics, design and web technologies viz Charles Babbage, Alan Turing, Jonathan Ive and Tim Berners-Lee, we cannot allow America or France to dominate the debates at the GA about whether or not some regulation is needed for the internet.
 
Some regulation is needed and Martin Kettle was right to want to draw out attention for the need to protect children from online pornography. Extraordinarily this gets short shrift in the USA because they hide behind the First Amendment of their constitution concerning free speech. Secondly, as we all know America loathes signing international agreements or belonging to
international organisations which they cannot dominate.
 
Of course, Google is too close to both the Obama and Cameron administrations and this is not good much as it wasn't so good a decade ago when it was Microsoft in a similar position. Their speakers speak for Google not for the rights of the citizens who use their services.
 
Currently, the Internet is the responsibility of a worn out organisation known as the WTO. We need to give it a new home.
 
Given our legacy and the soft power which we wield around the world with our Open University, the British Council and the BBC World Service it is time we came together to create a similar body for the internet. The world will thank us for it.
 
Yours etc
 
Derek Wyatt
Founder, Internet Policy Institute