Government seeks inputs from stakeholders ahead of Global Internet Meet

NEW DELHI: The Indian government has sought suggestions from different stakeholders on the position that India should take before it begins negotiations with other countries at a global internet governance meet in Dubai this week.

In an open house held by the government on Tuesday, telecom minister Kapil Sibal gave stakeholders representing civil society, mobile phone companies and social media two days to put in their comments in writing after some objected to the language used in certain clauses of the draft prepared by the government for discussion at the World Conference on International Telecommunications 2012.

Though the discussion was supposed to focus on critical issues and implications on internet traffic, content, online speech, surveillance and cost to the consumers, most stakeholders expressed their discontentment on the language chosen by the government to express this.

Sibal said that the industry was free to give alternative formulations to the language used in the draft such that it matches the government's intent.

"The intent of the government is that internet is a tool for empowerment and in no way this should be diminished. If you think that the government's intent does not reflect in the writing then please suggest alternatives but keeping in mind our concerns on the security of networks, financial and defence security of the country," he told stakeholders.

Stakeholders including representatives from GSM mobile phone companies, the GSM lobby Cellular Operators Association of India, CDMA lobby Auspi, social media networking giant Facebook and Google, among others, were present for the open house.

Over 193 countries, including India, will discuss the future of internet in Dubai next week.