Bitter time for information society

Kavi Chongkittavorn, The Nation, Asia News Network, Bangkok

Precarious trends are emerging that could restrict press freedom and the free flow of information on the Internet at the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva set for December.

When the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) initiated the WSIS last year, three main objectives were highlighted.

First was to raise awareness among leaders about the implications and new challenges of the information society. The second was the injustice of the "digital divide". Third was the development of new legal and policy frameworks appropriate to cyberspace. Discussions so far have concentrated on ways and means to control Internet content and subject the free flow of information to national laws.

Like many developing countries in the lead-up discussions to the WSIS, Thailand has been trapped by issues related to information and communication technologies and the digital divide. Completely ignored is the third objective, which can restrict Internet content and the free flow of information, leaving it to member countries with a long "laundry list" of media restrictions.

Free media supporters feel the WSIS is just an ITU power play for ideological influence and international regulatory power within the United Nations. They argue that issues related to content and regulation of the Internet and the digital divide should be debated by Unesco in Paris or the UN Information Committee in New York instead of at forums organized by the ITU.

They believed the ITU does not have the mandate to create new Internet regulations and policies or lay the groundwork for the information society. But they also concede that time is running out for them to change anything at the WSIS unless government representatives can change their attitudes.

Early this month, Thailand's the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications organized a meeting to prepare Thailand's position on the WSIS.

Surprisingly, no one raised the issues of press freedom and free flow of information nor ongoing efforts by countries that want to control Internet content.

One delegate told the session that, given the composition of the Thai delegates, only technical aspects could be addressed. Each concerned authority, such as the Ministry of Education and the Department of Public Relations, would send its own delegate to the WSIS and form its own position without formulating an overall joint strategy and common positions.

In the age of globalization and borderless information, no one can dispute the objective of discussing future challenges and the digital divide. But the problem is, the ITU has failed to point out that the WSIS is not only about technical aspects of the information society but about freedom and content as well.

Somehow, this point has not been reflected in the Asian media. The preparatory meeting will be the last before ministerial level delegates gather in Geneva in December to sign a declaration and plan of action.

In previous UN-sponsored summits, all sectors have been invited to give inputs and discuss issues in areas of their expertise. However, this has not been the case with the WSIS. From the very beginning, only officials and technicians were engaged in writing texts, while no media people took part. Previous declarations on media and democracy were written by professionals in the media and related areas.

Switzerland is spearheading an effort to raise the profile of press freedom at the Geneva preparatory meeting. The host is expected to receive support from EU members. Although the effort is considered too little too late, it presents a last-ditch attempt to alter the text, which ignored the press freedom.

If the current text is approved, the issue of press freedom -- a universal value since 1946 -- will be subjected to national laws. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which has been the pillar of a free press, would be trumped by national laws.

Due to overriding concerns by Western countries over security following Sept. 11, press freedom has not been considered a top priority as before. That helps to explain why the so-called remnants of the defunct movement of the New World Communication and Information Order -- which failed to gain control over information flows during the 1970s and 1980s -- are coming back and trying to realize their archaic dreams.