Ambassador David Gross Expresses Concern Regarding Upcoming ITU Treaty Conference

January 19, 2012

Wiley Rein’s International Telecommunications group chair, Ambassador David A. Gross, was quoted in a Politico article that focused on issues associated with the future of “Internet governance” and a potential new treaty.

Countries around the world are negotiating a treaty that will be finalized this December in Dubai that could give governments more power over how the Internet is governed and could, if the negotiations do not go well, lead to increased Internet censorship and the watering down of the Internet’s power as a democratic tool. “I am very concerned, and I don’t say that lightly,” Amb. Gross — who has represented the U.S. at more international telecommunications conferences than anyone in modern history — said.  “The possibility that something bad will come out of this is at least 50-50.”