American envoys say they are working with other nations on a proposal to drop all discussions on possible Internet regulations from a UN telecommunications conference in Dubai.
The US is leading calls to reject possible new codes on the Net by the International Telecommunications Union, a 193-nation body making its first major oversight revisions in nearly 25 years. US representatives held meetings today on the proposal to take all Internet-related discussions off the table.
The US fears any UN Internet regulations could complicate commerce and be used by nations such as China and Russia to justify further cyber-crackdowns.
But the head of the UN group, Hamadoun Toure, insists the 11-day talks will not limit freedom of expression and will mostly seek ways to broaden Internet services to developing countries.