OECD call for Internet to be kept open

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:25

IT Policy - Regulation

The OECD has called on its 34 member countries to 'promote and protect the global free flow of information' online.

It says that the openness of the Internet and the multi-stakeholder framework have been key factors in stimulating the innovation and economic growth that has characterised the Internet Economy. "But in recent years there has been increasing concern that the openness of the Internet is eroding, with negative consequences on its dynamism and related economic activity."

The OECD has released a set of 'Principles of Internet Policy Making', that call for "shared common principles to help policymakers set the parameters for any action taken, as well as work towards building trust in the Internet economy both at national levels as well as in cross-border economic activity."

The OECD also highlighted the importance of maintaining the existing open model of Internet governance, what it calls 'the multi-stakeholder environment'. It said that stakeholders should continue to fully play a role in this framework. Governments should also work in multi-stakeholder environments to achieve international public policy goals and strengthen international co-operation in Internet governance.

The principles have grown out of the Seoul Declaration on the Future of the Internet Economy adopted at the 2008 OECD Ministerial meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy.  This was followed by the OECD's high-level meeting on The Internet Economy: 'Generating Innovation and Growth'. held in June 2011.

Following that meeting, representatives of OECD Members, Egypt and of stakeholders including the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD and the Internet Technical Community "agreed on a number of basic principles for Internet policy making as an important step in ensuring that the Internet remains open and dynamic."

These principles have now been published, as the OECD Council Recommendation on Principles for Internet Policy Making.  But be warned: they are spelt out in a single, monstrous sentence of some 4000 words!