Internet Freedom Of Use Under Major Threat From Governmental And Business Control
The internet as we know it is at risk. Unless we act now, our right to freely communicate and share information could change forever.
The internet and social networking sites have given Trade Unions, Union Safety Reps and all citizens of the world, new tools with which to share campaigns, political truths, and to generally communicate freely with people and organisation all over the world.
Without the freedom to use this technology, this website, your Trade union website and all forms of written / visual electronic communications would be unavailable to us.
Now, the biggest threat to what is now considered to be a basic human right, is under threat from a massive and international private business and government take-over being perpetrated behind solid doors and in an atmosphere of secrecy and silence.
At a conference in Dubai this December, the International Telecommunications Union (or ITU), a United Nations agency, is planning to adopt new rules, including some nasty surprises which could clamp down on the fundamental freedoms of citizens online.
Big telecommunications corporations have joined with countries including China, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, countries that already impose heavy restrictions on internet freedoms, to put forward proposals to new treaty at the UN World Conference on International Telecommunications.
So far the proposal has flown under the radar, thanks to the secretive nature of the ITU, but its implications are so serious that we must act quickly to show the ITU and its member countries that citizens will not stand by while our right to communicate freely is undermined.
The proposal would give governments and companies all over the world the ability to:
* Restrict access to the internet to approved uses
* Monitor everything you do online
* Change the way we pay for the internet, potentially marginalising civil society and developing countries
An internet totally controlled by government and big business contradicts the very essence of what the internet represents – open and free access for all. The new rules would affect us all, but would hurt people in poorer countries and those living in dictatorships even more.
Add your name to the global petition Going To Work From The TUC is running in conjunction with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), and ask our government representatives who will attend this conference to reject these changes that will seriously and permanently restrict internet freedoms.
Act now, before it’s too late. We need a new process where the voice of the people is properly heard. The TUC campaign will work with the ITUC to pass your concerns on to government representatives going to the conference.
Sign the petition by clicking on the pic above.
More information can be found on these websites:
Equal Times: Stop the global Net grab
GIGAOM: Is the UN the next threat to Internet freedom?
HuffPo: Don't let the UN change the Internet you know
Transparency Int'l: The dawn of the virtual Big Brother?
Source: Going To Work
