United Nations, New York, December 17, 2015 - Yesterday our esteemed colleague, Parminder Jeet Singh of ICT for Change, presented a speech before the United Nations General Assembly on global Internet governance. He began by asking,
The Internet is fundamentally transforming our world. These changes will be no less far-reaching than those of the industrial revolution.
The question then is: is the world today politically more mature, than it was in that distant past, to be able to better guide this transformation towards our common goals?
He then presented a three pronged path for answering this question.
First of all, we must give up the idea of Internet exceptionalism…
Next; the fully justified fear of possible statist abuse of the Internet has to be addressed by putting robust checks and balances into its governance mechanisms…
And thirdly, Madam President, a so-called tension between multilateralism and multistakeholderism must be resolved - through the test of democracy.
See the 5 minute video at http://www.itforchange.net/UNGA_WSIS10 and the full text http://justnetcoalition.org/2015/to_UN_GA.pdf.
Our thanks and congratulations go to Mr. Singh.
DEC