An upcoming meeting of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in Dubai in December is widely tipped – and denied – as being the kickoff of a international power-grab for governance and control over the Internet.

Some are positioning it as an attempt by the ITU to regain some of its otherwise shrinking remit and power, others as a kind of US “imperialism” over the net, whilst yet others see ITU control as a lever by which network freedoms can be diluted by the likes of Russia and China.

Coverage includes:

• The ITU WCIT And Internet Freedom
• US resists control of internet passing to UN agency
• Vint Cerf on U.N. regulation of the internet (audio podcast)

Dominique Lazanski is an independent consultant and head of digital policy at the TaxPayers’ Alliance and will be attending the upcoming ITU meeting; in our pub meet she will discuss what is know of the proposals, the potential risks raised by ITU governance, and the potential impacts upon liberty.

Audio is a bit rough in parts – had to filter the middle third to muffle a clicking noise. It’s early days, shall do better next time.