The World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT), in that beacon of freedom, Dubai, is looking at the future of the internet. And naturally the future of the internet should include opinions from dictatorships as well as freedom-loving countries as anything else would be unfair and unrepresentative.

There appears to be three angles through which governments at this conference can even up the freedom of the internet such that theocracies and dictatorships alike don’t feel offended:

1. ICANN contract expiry: this will enable the influence of the US to be diminished and for the influence of the Arab League, Russia, China, and Iran to be increased. This would allow terrorist websites to be allowed but could deny sites that might promote things like female empowerment and gay activism. Who decides what sites are allowed? The UN.

2.UN HRC resolutions: resolution 719 from the Human Rights Council (HRC) can deny the communication of any media that might offend Islam, as an example. Who decides what is offensive? The UN.

3. ITU bureaucracy: the take over of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) by the above countries. The ITU was originally intended as a technical office to match international telephone systems. Now it will be a taxing authority. Who decides who is taxed? The UN.

This trifecta of anti-freedom measures could well be facilitated by the CEO of ICANN, Fadi Chehade. Why do I not feel the warmth when his last name sounds like jihadi?

See also: Internet Redistribution