IPN experts to attend/comment on World Summit on the Information Society

London: International Policy Network research fellow Alec van Gelder will be attending the World Summit on Information Society that will be held in Tunisia from 16-18 November, 2005. van Gelder will be available for interview and comment before and during the event. IPN’s Executive Director, Professor Julian Morris, a leading authority on technology policy, will also be available for comment.

“We are particularly concerned about the attempt by the EU, China, Saudi Arabia and Iran to transfer administration of the Internet from the US-based ICANN to the UN, which would be contrary to the interests of Internet users,” said Julian Morris.

“The Internet is the ultimate resource for spreading ideas about freedom, technology and commerce. If the UN were to take control, the Internet would be bogged down in bureaucracy as countries jockey for determining how it should be run. The old maxim, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, applies for the Internet as well,” said Alec van Gelder.