It’s been a whirlwind week at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) negotiations as member states scrambled to reach some kind of consensus on the updates to the ITU’s telecom rules by the deadline. As we’ve noted before, some states are intent on using the negotiations to expand the powers of the ITU and legitimize undemocratic practices like Internet surveillance and censorship. Internet content regulation isn’t within the current scope of the ITU’s powers, and some nations like the U.S. and Canada have been strongly resisting any language that expands these powers. That all changed this past week, with a ‘temperature-taking’ (not a ‘vote’, but sort of might have actually been a vote) on a new resolution to “foster the enabling environment for the greater growth of the Internet.” Access explains that this appeared to be an attempt at compromise, where “all references to the internet would be cut out of the actual text... on the condition that this resolution passed instead.” However this shift towards explicitly recognizing the authority of the ITU over Internet content led Canada, among many nations, to refuse to sign the final draft of the treaty.

At the ongoing International Telecommunications Union discussions, a top-secret proposal called 'Deep Packet Inspection' – or DPI for short – has been approved. This DPI standard has been adopted despite criticism that it could accelerate censorship in repressive nations and allow for online eavesdropping on a global scale. We need to speak out to ensure that these new standards aren't used to legitimize Internet surveillance and censorship online. Join us in adding your name to our campaign to ProtectInternetFreedom.net. Article by Emmanuel Dunand for RT News Members of the United Nation’s International Telecommunications Union (ITU) have agreed to work towards implementing a standard for the Internet that would allow for eavesdropping on a worldwide scale. At a conference in Dubai this week, the ITU members decided to adopt the Y.2770 standard for deep packet inspection, a top-secret proposal by way of China that will allow telecom companies across the world to more easily dig through data passed across the Web.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) discussions are underway – leaving citizens worldwide to question the motivations of some of the countries involved. These discussions could lead to strict Internet governance, increased access costs and an erosion of human rights online. Send a message directly to ITU delegates at ProtectInternetFreedom.net/Stand. Read more on the ITU discussions getting underway and what's at stake for your Internet use in an article at The National Post.

This week, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is hosting discussions that concern the future of the Internet. Although the Canadian government may be preparing to oppose the ITU's strict Internet control, there has been no mention as to Canada's stance on the ITU increasing Internet access costs to citizens. Canadians are making progress in being heard, but we need to ensure that we are in the driver's seat when decisions affecting the Internet are being made in our name. Join us in speaking out at ProtectInternetFreedom.net. Article by Jordan Press for PostMedia News Canada will look to prevent governments from taking more power over the Internet when governments sit down for 12 days of negotiations on the future of the Internet next week, but the government didn’t say Thursday where it stands on a contentious proposal that could see users pay more for online content.

Yesterday saw Syria's Internet and mobile communications 'shut off' from the outside world. If repressive regimes have their way at next week's ITU discussions, this restrictive governance of Internet use could be legitimized and applied to citizens worldwide. Join us alongside a multi-national coalition of pro-Internet organizations in speaking out at ProtectInternetFreedom.net. Read more on this story regarding Syria's Internet blackout.

We’ve had some major victories lately in making sure that the rules around telecommunications keep public interest at the centre. You recently spoke out against Bell’s attempted takeover of Astral Media, and the CRTC listened, denying Bell and demonstrating its new citizen-centred focus. Today we’ve had some more great news about progress we’re making on an international level—because of the pressure you’ve put on your national representatives, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has decided to make all the proposals for its December negotiations public! The Internet freedom community—including citizens and organizations from around the world—has been speaking out about the closed nature of these negotiations, and demanding the multi-stakeholder input and public consultation that is so desperately needed in negotiations that could change the way the Internet works.