With India Opposing G7 'Open Societies' Statement on Internet Shutdowns, UK Seeks Language Fix

thewire.in ^

[BenLurkin]

As leaders from the G7 group of seven industrialised nations – United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan – meet at a luxury seaside resort in Cornwall, their implicit message is that they stand as a bulwark of democracies...

For the host nation UK, “shared values and open societies” are on top of the Foreign and Development Track for the ongoing summit. This is also the premise behind having four special invitees – India, Australia, South Korea and South Africa.

In January, Bloomberg had first reported that the UK had proposed that the ‘guests’ sign an “Open Societies charter” with the G7 nations.

A week earlier, on April 28, the G7 digital and technology ministers had also opposed “measures which may undermine these democratic values, such as government-imposed Internet shutdowns and network restrictions”.

India was not a signatory to the G7 foreign ministers’ declaration, which also touched on a host of other issues, even though external affairs minister S. Jaishankar participated in the proceedings, once again through a video link.

Informed sources told The Wire that India has pushed to dilute the language related to Internet shutdowns by suggesting a carve out for shutdowns based on the need for ‘law and order’ and combatting communal violence. While the United States is not in favour of any dilution in stand, the UK is believed to have suggested compromise language that will allow India to sign on.

One problem, say digital rights activists, is that every country which resorts to internet shutdowns cites “law and order” as the reason, including, most recently, Myanmar after the coup. And in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian government imposed an internet ban on August 5, 2019 that ranged from a total blackout to the blocking of high speed mobile internet for over a year...

[BenLurkin]

Prediction: As soon as the internet threatens these global "democracies" (as these pinkos style themselves) then the internet will go down as often and for as long as they see fit.

[PAR35]

“Technical issues” at the hands of the tech oligarch. No need for direct government action here. Just a handful of phone calls to Dallas, Seattle, New York and San Jose ought to do the job.

[colorado tanker]

What’s the problem? The US is already allowing Big Tech to censor the Internet. So how is Bite-me in any position to tell another country they can’t do the same?