The big guns are out; while the ICANN president and CEO is busy lobbying on the Huffington Post, Julius Genachowski, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, co-authored an op-ed on the Wall Street Journal. Gordon Goldstein is the co-author.
Titled, “‘Global’ Internet Governance Invites Censorship“, the article takes the ICANN arguments about the multi-stakeholder model apart:
“Bowing to these arguments would be a mistake. The Internet is the infrastructure of the modern global economy, and the free flow of data is essential to any country seeking economic growth. Global Internet consumption and expenditure now exceeds that of the agriculture and energy sectors. The Internet spurred 21% of GDP growth during the past five years in the world’s 13 leading developed nations, according to a 2011 study by the McKinsey Global Institute.”
Regarding Internet censorship, the article states that it would stifle entrepreneurship:
“A censored Internet will choke these opportunities. A flourishing and free Internet, on the other hand, will expand them. A January Boston Consulting Group study of 65 countries found that reducing limitations on online activity, through enhanced broadband connectivity and access, can increase a country’s GDP by as much as 2.5%. A fragmented global network encumbered by international regulatory restrictions will only limit this potential for growth.”
For the full article, click here.
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