Google Warns UN of Internet Censorship in Dubai Talks

By Alex Johnston Epoch Times Staff Created: December 3, 2012 Last Updated: December 4, 2012

Flags fly at the United Nations. Google issued a warning that United Nations countries need to maintain an open and uncensored Internet during closed-door talks on the worlds global telecommunications treaty. (Amal Chen/The Epoch Times)

Google issued a warning that United Nations countries need to maintain an open and uncensored Internet during closed-door talks on the worlds global telecommunications treaty, while U.N. officials tried to assuage public fears, saying there would be no new curbs on Internet freedom.

There have been concerns that the 193-member International Telecommunication Union (ITU) talks in Dubai from Dec. 3 to Dec. 14 will result in increased Internet regulations, with countries like China and Russia claiming they need to increase monitoring and create more Web blockades.

Love the free and open Internet? Tell the worlds governments to keep it that way, reads Googles splash page Monday.

The conference has raised concerns as to how much power the U.N. has over the Internet in terms of regulation.

Vint Cerf, Googles vice president and self-described Internet evangelist, said in a blog posting Sunday that starting in 1973, when my colleagues and I proposed the technology behind the Internet, we advocated for an open standard to connect computer networks together.

Vint Cerf, vice president, Google

But starting in a few hours, a closed-door meeting of the worlds governments is taking place in Dubai, and regulation of the Internet is on the agenda, he said. Cerf took issue with the fact that only governments are allowed to vote on the decades-old treaty.

Some proposals could allow governments to justify the censorship of legitimate speech, or even cut off Internet access in their countries, he said.

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Google Warns UN of Internet Censorship in Dubai Talks

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