How the ITU could put the internet behind closed doors.
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0:00 - 0:04A Internet nos oferece liberdade para conversar com nossos amigos, fazer arte,
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0:04 - 0:10começar um negócio ou protestar contra nossos governantes, tudo isso numa escala sem precedentes.
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0:10 - 0:10Isto não é coincidência
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0:10 - 0:14Esse formato da Internet surgiu de discussões abertas à inclusão
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0:14 - 0:17by a global community of scientists and engineers,
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0:17 - 0:20so there was no pressure from above to lock it down.
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0:20 - 0:23But now a government controlled international body is making a play,
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0:23 - 0:28to become the new place where the Internet’s future gets decided.
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0:28 - 0:32It's called the International Telecommunication Union (or ITU).
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0:32 - 0:34And in December the worlds governments will meet, to decide whether to,
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0:34 - 0:39expand its mandate to making important decisions about the net.
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0:39 - 0:43The ITU could pose a risk to freedom of expression on-line everywhere.
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0:43 - 0:45Here's why. First the basics.
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0:45 - 0:48Nobody owns the Internet.
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0:48 - 0:51It's a collection of independent networks around the world. Anybody can build one.
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0:51 - 0:56The common standards, on which the Internet was build, grew out of open on-line discussions,
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0:56 - 1:00not on the priorities of a particular government or company.
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1:00 - 1:03But now let's meet the ITU!
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1:03 - 1:08First the ITU is old. Really old. Not CD’s old, not rotary phone old,
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1:08 - 1:12telegraph old as in Morse code.
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1:12 - 1:16When founded in 1865 it was called the International Telegraph Union.
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1:16 - 1:21Unlike the Internet the ITU was not build on open discussion among scientists and engineers.
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1:21 - 1:23Instead only governments have a vote at the ITU.
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1:23 - 1:27And these votes take place behind closed doors.
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1:27 - 1:31If governments succeed, in giving the ITU more power to make decisions about the Internet we get,
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1:31 - 1:35an old school, top down, government centric organisation
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1:35 - 1:38replacing, the open bottom up governance,
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1:38 - 1:40that made the Internet so world changing.
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1:40 - 1:42And that's just the beginning of our problems.
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1:42 - 1:45The ITU is not transparent.
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1:45 - 1:53The ITU's draft proposals aren't public, and it's one country - 1 vote model gives governments all the power.
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1:53 - 1:58They get to make decisions about our Internet, without us even knowing... what they're discussing,
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1:58 - 2:01and then tell us, once the decision is made.
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2:01 - 2:04What kinds of decisions will be considered at the ITU meeting this December?
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2:04 - 2:07Well here's some actual proposals, that have leaked:
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2:07 - 2:11cutting of Internet access for a number of broadly defined reasons;
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2:11 - 2:14violating international human rights norms;
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2:14 - 2:20giving governments more power to monitor Internet traffic and impose regulations on how traffic is sent;
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2:20 - 2:22defining Spam so broadly that they could justify blocking anything
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2:22 - 2:27from photos of cute cats to human rights campaigns.
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2:27 - 2:31And new rules, to charge on-line content providers, to reach users.
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2:31 - 2:36Which means, less content going to the developing world and blocking sites that don't pay up.
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2:36 - 2:41But the really scary part: the countries pushing hardest for ITU control,
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2:41 - 2:44are the same countries that aggressively censor the Internet.
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2:44 - 2:49In Russia making a YouTube video against the government can get you two years in jail.
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2:49 - 2:52In China you can't even get to most social media websites.
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2:52 - 2:59And Iran is trying to build its own national Internet and email network, to keep the entire population under its control.
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2:59 - 3:02Now the ITU also does good work.
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3:02 - 3:07To help the developing world establish telecommunication networks and expand high speed broadband connections.
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3:07 - 3:10And existing Internet governance isn't perfect.
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3:10 - 3:14The US has out-sized influence and authority when it comes to this.
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3:14 - 3:17But, we need to fix these problems, in a way that preserves
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3:17 - 3:20the openness, pragmatism and bottom-up governance,
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3:20 - 3:22that made the Internet so great.
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3:22 - 3:27This December our governments meet, to make their final decisions about the Internet’s future.
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3:27 - 3:30It's up to us Internet users, in every country of the world,
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3:30 - 3:34to tell them: to stand for the open Internet.
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3:34 - 3:39If everyone, who sees this video, speaks out and contacts their government, we've got a chance of winning.
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3:39 - 3:41Help us share this video and visit this site,
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3:41 - 3:43to speak out
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3:43 - 3:45and contact your government right now!
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3:45 - 3:48Let's use the Internet’s global reach to save it!
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3:48 - 4:07Tell your leaders to oppose handing over key decisions about the Internet to the ITU.
- Title:
- How the ITU could put the internet behind closed doors.
- Description:
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Take action at http://www.whatistheITU.org
Fight for the Future and Access collaborated on this short, informative video about a serious threat to the free and open internet that could have devastating effects for human rights and free expression around the globe.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- Volunteer
- Duration:
- 04:08
Michelle Matthew edited English subtitles for How the ITU could put the internet behind closed doors. | ||
Bronwyn Judge edited English subtitles for How the ITU could put the internet behind closed doors. | ||
Bronwyn Judge edited English subtitles for How the ITU could put the internet behind closed doors. | ||
Bronwyn Judge edited English subtitles for How the ITU could put the internet behind closed doors. | ||
Retired user edited English subtitles for How the ITU could put the internet behind closed doors. | ||
Bronwyn Judge edited English subtitles for How the ITU could put the internet behind closed doors. | ||
Bronwyn Judge edited English subtitles for How the ITU could put the internet behind closed doors. | ||
Bronwyn Judge edited English subtitles for How the ITU could put the internet behind closed doors. |