The whole world has finally decided to talk about the internet.
The , the first international gathering of its kind, kicked off today, bringing together senior political figures from across the world and tech royalty such as Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.
Among the topics scheduled for discussion are how to ensure global access to the internet and dealing with net鈥檚 darker elements: child safety, cybercrime and cyberwar.
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Nations that try to restrict internet use, like China and some in the Middle East, particularly during times of peaceful uprisings, came in for harsh criticism.
鈥淲e reject the view that government suppression of the internet, phone networks and social media at times of unrest is acceptable,鈥� said UK foreign secretary William Hague.
People power
Underlining this point, Yemeni activist and blogger Atiaf Alwazir said: 鈥淏efore the internet in Yemen, everything was controlled. This has changed: now we are in control.
鈥淧eople say that Facebook and Twitter created the revolution,鈥� she added. 鈥淚 disagree. People are the agents of change and the internet helped accelerate the process.鈥�
US vice-president Joe Biden made an explicit reference to demands from China and Russia for more international regulation of cyberspace: 鈥淲hat citizens do online should not, as some have suggested, be decreed solely by groups of governments making decisions for them somewhere on high.鈥�
He added: 鈥淣o citizen of any country should be subject to a repressive global code.鈥�
Wales suggested that governments learn from Wikipedia鈥檚 policy of openness.
