Concerns relating to global mass surveillance and privacy of Internet users are likely to dominate discussions at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) which begins in Istanbul on Tuesday.
The IGF is a forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue on Internet governance convened by the United Nations Secretary-General to carry out the mandate from the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). This year’s Forum concludes on September 5.
Government representatives, members of civil society will meet to discuss concerns relating to Internet governance.
Elvira Tiguru, spokesperson for Association for Progressive Communications, said a report on mass surveillance will be launched at the Forum on September 4. “The latest edition of the Global Information Society Watch reveals the complicity of both states and corporations in communications surveillance.” she said. “The Report shows how most people and governments have completely missed the point of mass surveillance: it is ubiquitous, widespread, and involves everyone, whether or not you are a ‘threat to the state’, or engaged in criminal activities,” she added.
Dr. Govind, CEO, National Internet Exchange of India, who is attending the IGF, said, “India is the third largest user of internet in the world, with 220 million users of mobile internet alone. So the discussions taking place here matter to us.”
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had raised the issue of U.S.’ National Security Agency reportedly being authorised to conduct surveillance of BJP with visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
