INTERNET USERS TO PAY FOR WHAT THEY PUBLISH


The International Telecommunications Union, the global body that regulates telecommunications activities is planning to introduce new regulations that will require anyone whose information has been published on the internet to pay for the many internet users who access the information online.
The new move is expected to take effect come December 2012.
The proposed amendments to the International Telecommunication Regulations seek to impose charges to those whose works are accessed online. If the publisher cannot pay, then the information cannot be released to those who want to access it.
Experts believe this will stifle information flow and jeopardize the objective of the International Telecommunication Regulations, developed at the 1988 World Administrative Telegraph and Telephone Conference 20 years ago.
Its purpose is to facilitate “global interconnection and interoperability” of telecommunications traffic between borders. This has largely encouraged free-flow of information around the world for decades.
Experts fear the gains could be reversed if the changes are implemented by the ITU.
Ghana has already signalled that she will oppose the new regulations.
Communications Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has however, affirmed Ghana’s stance on the new regulations and shared the same opinion that the new regulation could be detrimental to the total development of a society.
According to him, “It is not every aspect of the treaty which we adopted in Melbourne in 1988 which have not served our purposes. To those that have served us right, we deserve to say no change to those ITRs but to those regulations that have not served our purposes, we simply should not hesitate in saying no to them and having a critical review of it.”
He added that, “certainly, we cannot allow economic cost or value to be put on the internet. We want to give meaning to Article 18 which is on privacy of communications; those matters must also be considered as human rights issue.”
As a country, Mr Iddrisu beliefs that, supporting the global community in ensuring ubiquitous access to the internet at all times for its use for research and development purposes.
Meanwhile, a decision is due to be taken on the revised regulations when governments and telecommunication experts meet at the ITU’s 2012 Conference on International Telecommunications in Dubai in December.
Experts are using the next few months ahead, to educate the world on the disastrous consequences of adopting the proposals tabled by the ITU.

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