[IRP] [Expression] Fwd: WSJ: Iran's Web Spying Aided By Western Technology

[Milton L Mueller]

Hey, Cliff,
Sorry about the "missing link." Here it is: http://www.icmregistry.com/irp.html
These are witness statments that outline various aspects of the treatment of .xxx by ICANN. As a disclaimer, note that I am an expert witness in this case.
--MM

________________________________
From: Clifford Bob [mailto:cliffordbob2 at gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 4:22 PM
To: Milton L Mueller
Cc: Max Senges; Phillip Roberts; Robin Gross; expression at ipjustice.org; irp
Subject: Re: [Expression] [IRP] Fwd: WSJ: Iran's Web Spying Aided By Western Technology

Hi Milton,

Your link to the "full story" on .xxx didn't come through for me and perhaps others.  Please resend; sounds interesting, indicating how divided "civil society" views on keys forms of expression are, both internationally and domestically.  I think you are right on the TLD points regarding private industry.

But the larger point for me is that, whether or not .xxx would have been accepted, national governments intent on limiting content/censoring based on their own political needs are going to find reasons to do so.  International standards on Internet expression are going to be as as effective (or ineffective) as international standards on other forms of expression: even if countries sign onto them, as so many have to the Int'l Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and ICESCR, domestic laws will continue to be used by repressive governments.  (Democratic governments too will also continue to follow their own national standards, e.g, on hate speech, defamation, etc--with the EU as an important exception.)  Of course, that doesn't mean that citizens of those countries should accept them--or that the international community shouldn't try to pressure repressive governments to change those laws and telecom companies to avoid providing censorship equipment.

Cliff
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