Net Hui South

I’m in Dunedin attending Nethui South. Jordan Carter has a good blog about it:

So I am in Dunedin at the university for NetHuiSouth — a conference that is part of InternetNZ’s effort to bring multi-stakeholder Internet governance out to the provinces.

There’s a strong focus on rural and provincial issues, as well as the traditional issues concerning the global governance of the Internet. The looming WCIT summit, where the International Telecommunications Union (set up two centuries ago) will try and get its grubby little hands on the Internet, will be a key issue of concern. I am also expecting reports back from the global Internet Governance Forum, held in Baku last month.

It’s so everyday that for most of us it is easy to forget just how revolutionary the Internet is. A private sector, collaborative, open infrastructure lets people innovate without permission. It lets anyone publish their views, discover any fact, share their joys or sorrow, make money or spend it, and connect with whoever they want.

Keeping it that way is important. Some states want to shut down this field of freedom. They are wrong, but they will make the attempt now and again in future. Keeping the ‘net open is the vital response all of us can take – and we can help do it at events like NetHui.

I think the biggest boon of the Internet has been sharing of knowledge. 20 years ago you had to go out of your way to access information. You had to buy it, or go to a Library, or have it sent to you etc. Now a huge portion of the world’s knowledge is online and open to everyone.

In line with that, good to see this announcement:

Information Technology Minister Amy Adams says New Zealand will try to block an international move by some governments to take over the running of the internet.

Mrs Adams made the announcement at the first regional internet community conference, NetHui South, in Dunedin on Friday.

Some 193 countries will meet in Dubai in December this year to discuss a move to extend global treat the International Telecommunications Regulations to also cover the internet, giving national governments much more control.

Mrs Adams says New Zealand will vote against the move, because the not-for-profit agencies including ICANN, which organise the worldwide web, are doing a good job.

Having the ITU gain authority over aspects of the Internet would be horrific. Great to see NZ arguing against.