Talks at the World Conference on International Telecommunications in Dubai intensified over the weekend, as Russia, the United Arab Emirates and 193 other nations have pushed for the right to manage the Internet, rather than leaving the Web in the hands of the group of U.S.-backed nonprofits that currently oversee its structure and technical specifications. The opposing nations, which also include Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Sudan, have drawn up a treaty that gives member states "equal rights to manage the Internet," which many in the United States have taken as an open invitation to government interference and censorship. Many of the countries backing the proposal already have long track records of shutting down or blocking Web content within their borders.
The United States has retained technical oversight of the Web via its host of nonprofits due to its funding for Arpanet, a precursor to the Internet. Other countries argue this structure is outdated, but American policymakers are united against change and unlikely to go along with any such treaty, even if it is passed in Dubai. U.S. Ambassador Terry Kramer admitted in a video interview that a compromise may be impossible, but he also issued a statement denying that the United States is on the verge of pulling out of the negotiations. Regardless, it appears WCIT is playing out much as we predicted: Other nations are pushing for greater authority to police the Web, and the United States is digging its heels in resistance. Given the concentration of authority inside the United States, it's unlikely that much can be changed without U.S. approval, but WCIT could become a sore spot in trade relations among the United States, Russia and other nations going forward. Regardless, expect this issue to continue to pop up, as a free and open Web remains a serious threat to the viability of numerous oppressive regimes across the globe.
Privacy Issue Delays Drones: The FAA is now three months past a deadline to begin integrating drones into the domestic airspace, as the agency tries to work through privacy issues raised by allowing the drones to take photos and video from the sky. Congress has directed the FAA to prepare for the domestic use of drones, but privacy advocates are up in arms over potential surveillance concerns. Some members of Congress who voted for the bill have also had second thoughts due to the privacy issues, but drone-makers are pushing back, threatening to get congressional backing to make it clear that the FAA's mandate doesn't include privacy. Saudis Say Cyberattack Aimed at Oil & Gas Production: Saudi Arabia's national oil company, Aramco, said Sunday that the August cyberattack that damaged some 30,000 computers was aimed at stopping the country's oil and gas production. The attack was one of the most destructive against a single business; Aramco supplies a tenth of the world's oil. The attack used a computer virus dubbed Shamoon, which forced the company to shut down its main internal network for more than a week. The hacker group claiming responsibility for the attack posted a message online blaming Saudi Arabia for "crimes and atrocities" in countries such as Syria and Bahrain, where Saudi has stepped in to back fellow Sunni Muslims during the violent demonstrations. ICYMI: Tester Demands Better Rural Call Reliability: Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., wrote to the FCC on Thursday demanding better wireless call reliability in rural America. Tester pressed the FCC to quickly improve phone service in rural areas, where a recent study showed call failure rates were significantly higher than in non-rural areas. He also asked the commission to crack down on providers that fail to complete calls to rural areas, arguing the practice threatens public safety. Tester has also pushed for rural broadband access, arguing that the FCC's national broadband plan could hurt rural consumers by discouraging broadband investments that serve them.