Net Neutrality

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Afghanistan
Delegate Name: Ethan Bonnell
School: Forest Hills Northern High School

In the past few decades, the internet has gone from something to be used chiefly by governnent officials and militaries to something meant to be used by all people for all sorts of reasons. But ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and governments sometimes have the ability to prevent people on the internet from accessing certain websites, slow access to certain sites, or monitoring internet usage without having to go through standard law procedures. They can do these things for a wide variety of reasons, ranging from potentially personal gain to national security.

Afghanistan's position is that it is important that countries and ISPs should not block information or websites, as the free trade of information is one of the biggest benefits of the internet. That said, Afghanistan also believes that each country should have the right to choose what kinds of information they want to be spread and if they should choose to prohibit access to certain sites, that is well within their prerogative. Afghanistan also believes that the government should be able to monitor the activity of the people who reside in that country. This can be instrumental in stopping acts of terrorism and in maintaining the security of the nation.

However, Afghanistan believes that ISPs should not be allowed to slow or block internet connections. This is prohibitive to the ideas of international free trade, and allowing this is unfair for everyone who tries to use the internet. This manipulation by ISPs is especially harmful in countries without many internet providers to choose from like Afghanistan. The pseudo-monopolies that can be formed are harmful to the free spread of ideas and the spread of internet access.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Algeria
Delegate Name: Andrew Lu
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

With the rise of technology in the 21st century, the amount of internet users has increased exponentially. With the numbers rising from 6.8% of the world population being internet users in the year 2000 to 46.1% in 2016, the traffic and content of the internet is in more need of rules and regulations. Net neutrality is the idea that all data on the internet should be viewed equally, with no laws or regulations prohibiting certain information. Net neutrality also embraces the idea that all servers, content, and websites can be ran at the same speed. Many countries such as China monitor and restrict the information viewed by the citizens without their consent. The argument on whether country governments should have such a control over their citizens and their internet privileges is debated through time. The UN has addressed the problem before. In 2012 the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) organized the 12-day conference to discuss the issue of spam in the internet as well as equal rights of countries to the internet. However, the treaty proposed was not signed by over 80 countries.

We, the democratic republic of Algeria, oppose net neutrality. We believe that governments should have control over the laws of internet in regards to their own nation. The power of internet surveillance should be left in the hands of the individual nations, not a universal law that is imposed on all nations. Content on the internet should be censored if it imposes harm to the public. With our increasing numbers of internet users in Algeria, from .2% to 37% over 16 years, laws regarding net neutrality will affect a large portion of the population, not only those who can afford it. Regarding the internet as a utility is not beneficial to the economy. Pricing of internet should be left to the companies and not be universal. Forcing the internet to price at the same level is restricting the rights of a free market and prevents economic growth and investments. A universal law on net neutrality should not be imposed on all countries as the situations in each country are different. This decision should be left to the government.

The UN should not impose a law that affects all the countries internationally. This right should be left to the decision of the countries themselves. The UN should be focussing on providing internet to those in need rather than restricting the use to the people who have access to it. All the countries are not in the same situation so passing a resolution that benefits all universally is nearly impossible.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Angola
Delegate Name: Jim Shepich
School: Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy

As Angola continues to modernize and develop Internet infrastructure, net neutrality is becoming a concern of growing import. There is currently no legislation in Angola filtering or banning content bar child pornography and copyrighted material. Currently, all Internet users have equal access. However, due to the devaluation of crude oil, any profit of the state-owned Angola Telecom service provider is essentially nullified. If the issue arises that there are no longer sufficient government funds to support the Internet, a hierarchy of user preference based on subsidy or subscription may be enacted.

There is still a low penetration rate of the Internet in Angola, however, this is most likely due to poverty. The current infrastructure is stable, but as more Angolans gain access to the Internet, the infrastructure must continue to improve and expand. If at any point connections become unstable due to a steep increase in the penetration rate, it is likely that neutrality will be violated until the service providers can support the user base. Priority will be granted for government purposes, such as tracking elections or registering voters and for educational purposes.

There are Internet users in Angola who use Wikimedia Zero and Facebook Free Basics as a piracy network. The Angolan government may take measures to prevent the illegal transfer of copyrighted material by these pirates. Any legislation to this effect will not be intended to violate net neutrality (i.e. preferring certain users or types of data) but to protect copyrighted information. An infraction of net neutrality by internet service providers would be perceived as a contravention of Angola's free expression and media policies.

Angola offers its help in solving the issue and advocates a resolution that would prevent infringement of net neutrality unless it is the only way for a nation to fund its Internet infrastructure.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Argentina
Delegate Name: Anders Palarz
School: Mattawan High School

Although plagued by slow internet speeds and high prices, Argentina has one of the highest internet usage rates in Latin America. During the coverage period the government did not block or filter the internet, and several positive court rulings on intermediary liability established a judicial notice and takedown system. Despite these positive developments, several bills under consideration in the legislature have the potential to restrict internet freedom by leading to the removal or blocking of content. Online journalists in Argentina reported instances of harassment over the past year, including a couple of notable cases, however levels of harassment and violence towards journalists are lower than in many other countries in the region.

In Argentina, Net Neutrality was passed into law in 2014. Article 56 of 2014’s Law 27.078 (also known as “Argentina Digital”) establishes the right of users to access neutral telecommunications networks. Article 57 forbids “ICT service providers” from blocking, interfering, or restricting any content, application, service, or protocol. Article 57 also establishes an exception allowing blocking or restrictions solely under a judicial order or by the user of the service. Price discrimination is prohibited as well, which implies that zero rating practices would be banned, although the provisions have not yet been tested in court.

The delegation of Argentina would like to see further of development and engagement of net neutrality to promote fair usership around the globe. With the promotion of internet rights there must be exceptions for the purpose of security and safety. How the committee decides this process is up in the air at this point, and Argentina will begin the session with an open mind.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Australia
Delegate Name: Alex Vankuiken
School: Grand Rapids City High School

Net Neutrality is the idea that all parts of the internet should be equally accessible regardless of the source or provider, the internet being the worldwide computerized global communication network. Australia does not have enforced Net Neutrality laws. Although there is some precedence to instate a law, Australia has never seen Net Neutrality as very important. The reason for this is that we fund the National Broadband Network (NBN) which provides standardized internet access to all. Companies in Australia buy from this network and provide internet at different rates through various bundles and packages. This encourages healthy competition in Australia, and combined with our powerful and dedicated consumer laws, we make sure that corporations cannot abuse the rights of consumers. Companies such as Telstra have tried to give exclusive rights to other firms in the past, but never has it become a significant problem.

Australia does not have any strong opinion on Net Neutrality. The purpose of Net Neutrality would be primarily to protect consumers and allow consistent free speech, something which Australia does strive for. It definitely would be good for the country to eventually enact Net Neutrality laws, but as our consumers are protected and there is a healthy amount of competition, acting immediately without any presumption would be frivolous. Access to the internet is not a problem here, and we have not seen any free speech suppression over the internet in this state. Leaving the internet as it is also has its own merits, as a free market creates competition and competition creates innovation. We don’t see net neutrality as a bad thing, but it certainly is unnecessary. Until an issue emerges or a general consensus rises as to the necessity of Net Neutrality, Australia will not enact any Net Neutrality laws.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Austria
Delegate Name: Caroline Munson
School: Williamston High School

Net neutrality is the idea that all information and data on the internet should be treated equally regardless of its content. In the past, online services could theoretically pay network providers to make sure that their products ran smoothly. The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications which represents all EU communication regulators has recently published guidelines concerning how telecom companies should treat their data. These new rules state that it is the right of the consumer to have free access to or distribute any information as long as it is not illegal. However, this can be cause for concern, as the government can look at your search history, emails and social media accounts which some deem an invasion of privacy. With the whole world at the fingertips of the user, anyone can look up, post, type or send any information which can be unsafe.

Presently, Austria does not have any laws regarding net neutrality. However, The Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications (RTR) issued guidelines in May of 2013 that provides a basic perspective on the subject of net neutrality. The principles of the document ensure that any user can send and receive contents of their choice, entry and access to any legal information should be easy. Additionally there should be no reduction in quality of the product and no blocking of traffic, services or content. These principles make up the legal framework for net neutrality laws in Austria but have no established legal basis.

Recently, the EU has published guidelines concerning net neutrality laws for all EU nations. These guidelines aimed to strengthen net neutrality by making all internet service providers (ISPs) treat all internet content equally and not favor services over others. The principle of the document is to provide guidance on the implementation of net neutrality laws specific for each country in the EU. However, the regulations contained loopholes such as allowing ISPs to make the traffic of a “specialized service” faster than another by creating what is called a “fast lane”. Another loophole would have allowed for zero-rating which would exempt some services and apps from counting against monthly data limits. There needs to be harsh, clear laws that outline internet usage, the rights of providers, users and services and access to certain information on the internet. Laws that are specific to the situation of each nation, regarding the information that should not be easily accessible to people versus things that should and also the security of personal information. Austria would expect support from other EU nations that may or may not have guidelines published for their country but do not have specific laws.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Bangladesh
Delegate Name: Olivia Carpenter
School: Forest Hills Northern High School

In the past decade the world trend of net neutrality has been drawing quite some negative attention. Net neutrality is the concept that all platforms of media, websites, and content are all treated equally. Bangladesh’s internet is not always open and there’s not always access to browse or express equally. The desire for net neutrality primarily gained momentum when discriminating by protocol and IP addresses, Internet service providers favoring private networks and peering came under the radar. In much of the world, the internet is not neutral, thanks to companies like Facebook and Google. Aware of the problem, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has launched Internet.org and has made efforts in trying to connect the world more with the power of the internet. Everywhere around the world, there are children doing better in school and new businesses springing up. Frankly, all countries including Bangladesh are in need of a sensor-free internet.

In recent years, 40% of Bangladeshi’s are internet users, whereas more than 80% of Americans are internet users. The number of Bangladeshi internet users skyrocketed when the government provided open Hotspot zones and government offices with free Internet access. While the UN applauds the United States for guaranteeing net neutrality, Bangladeshi’s web page is continuing to load. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission just recently decided to review the 2G service guideline in a bid to offer net neutrality. The Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood recently just stated that the BTRC is “committed to offering better connectivity with better connectivity with faster data connections, and that there is no other logical option than to allow net neutrality.” Bangladesh is the only South Asian country without 4G services, and the BTRC is committed to fixing that.

Bangladesh believes that with the availability of 3G around the country, twenty million more Bangladeshi’s will have access to the internet. The sector would expand since the people are getting faster data. Bangladesh feels that there are both positive and negative sides of the usage of the Internet, but in this day and age it is necessary to take precautions and increase their expertise in the business. Most Bangladeshi’s think that internet usage is a universal privilege, no matter how rich or poor.

Bangladesh believes that with Mark Zuckerberg’s partnership, Internet.org will complement Bangladesh’s efforts to get more people online safely. Along with their 3G services rolling out soon, the BTRC and mobile phone operators requesting 4G services and activists involvement in the country arguing pro-net neutrality, Bangladesh is looking forward to net neutrality for local internet safety.

Main Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_neutrality

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/net-neutrality-need-bangladesh-md-mintu-hossain

https://www.thisisnetneutrality.org/

http://www.thedailystar.net/bytes/interviews/internetorg-net-neutrality-what-facebook-has-say-93553

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Belgium
Delegate Name: John Vander Vliet
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

In 2003, Colombia professor Tim Wu first introduced the world to the term “Net Neutrality”. The Internet itself had been present for the last few preceding decades, but the issue of the use of one’s web traffic, or data, and one's privacy has recently come into light thanks in part to Internet service providers. Those for net neutrality argue of the idea of equality, everyone should be treated as equal when it comes to data consumption as well as Internet freedom. Those against it argue that paying for Internet should not be equal, those who consume more data should pay more, and vice versa. As well, they argue that it would give the government more power over the Internet, through the NSA. If Net Neutrality were to become a reality, the government would have to monitor more broadband connections, usually through cable companies. Thanks to Belgium’s role as a developed country, Net Neutrality is for the best as it reflects key components of equality that is found throughout Belgium.

The passage of EU regulation 2015/2020 in November of 2015 is the first step in guaranteeing net neutrality throughout all of the European Union as its purpose states, “to establish common rules to safeguard equal and non-discriminatory treatment of traffic in the provision of internet access services and related end-users’ rights”. Going along with that, EU Regulation 2016/679, or the General Data Protection Regulation aims to strengthen data protection for citizens in the European Union, a Union that Belgium holds membership to, even going back to being a founder. Adopted in May of 2016, the regulation will take effect on May 25, 2018. As Belgium is an established nation in the UN regarding the Internet, with 82% of the population considered users, we see it fit to be a leading fighter in the cause for ensuring net neutrality to ensure that one will gain an advantage in Internet access by monetary means, but rather enforce the idea of equality.

Belgium advises that the UN will work more to improve and broaden the aspects of net neutrality. Something of primary importance is holding countries and corporations that deal with Internet access and consumption accountable, in order to set a firm guide on what Net Neutrality consists of and is about. Belgium recommends those that those who stray intentionally from the guidelines set out be held responsible and face repercussions, whether that be through fines or loss of Internet privileges. Although the Internet is old, the issue of data collection and equality is something that needs to be newly considered by all, and Belgium encourages that the debate on Net Neutrality is not simply for or against, but whether what rules should be put in place when Net Neutrality becomes a right for all citizens.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Botswana
Delegate Name: Robert Janes
School: East Grand Rapids High School

As the usage of internet continues to rise, the role of net neutrality increases. As new rules and regulations are added, and that is where net neutrality comes in. The issue of keeping all data accessible online falls upon the internet providers. The Republic of Botswana believes that the data online should not be censored or limited by internet providers. Botswana would like to allow its citizens to be able to read and say what they like.

Only 28.4% of Botswana’s citizens have access to internet, but would like to increase that number.Botswana has plans to add global internet and more local areas with internet. In the past Botswana has not had a strong internet, but will soon be trying to increase its strength, and would like net neutrality for its citizens to be able to speak and maintain the freedom of speech and press. As Botswana’s constitution supports freedom of speech and press, they would like the UN to as well.

Botswana currently has no laws regarding net neutrality, and has not suggested adding any. Botswana also believes in freedom of speech and freedom of press, and if there is no net neutrality it fears that it will go against its constitution. Botswana believes that the internet can be a great tool for development, and would like net neutrality for its citizens. The republic of Botswana fully supports net neutrality, and would like the UN to rule in favor of it.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Brazil
Delegate Name: Patricia Krause
School: Forest Hills Central High School

In the past two decades, the internet has expanded from being something of primarily military and official importance into a platform for wide commercial and individual use. With this mix of commercial and individual use comes the issue of potential commercial influence over individual's access to the internet, through the implementation of possible fees, restrictions, and other barriers. The regimented lack or allowance of these restrictions, as well as the level of free speech, define a country’s net neutrality.

Brazil’s president signed the Marco Civil Law into effect in April of 2014. The Marco Civil Law ensures net neutrality and protects strong privacy protections with some regulation surrounding intermediary liability and related individuals’ rights. Brazil, with its growing technological and economic sectors favors a form of net neutrality that protects both the rights of the public while making sure national political and election-related slander laws are upheld. It is important to allow free reign of the internet while keeping in careful accordance with the laws of a country, laws put in place to keep people safe and political actions fair.

Brazil supports and looks for an agreement in which net neutrality concerning commercial organizations is ensured with some leeway for individual country’s rights so that each nation may implement their specific basic regulations necessary to keep the interactions on the internet safe, legal, and on par with the country’s existing laws concerning public speech. In the most simple terms, Brazil searches for a resolution with net neutrality concerning service providers with amenable neutrality surrounding government rights in order to protect the safety of Brazil’s individuals as well as the nation as a whole.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Burkina Faso
Delegate Name: Kayla Fleishans
School: Royal Oak High School

The internet is not an unlimited resource, which is sometimes how it is treated. Unfortunately, less than ten percent of people in Burkina Faso have access to the internet. We should try to bring the internet to people in Burkina Faso and other African nations, so that data cannot just be for those in rich countries, but a possibility in other places, too. If we want no one to have an advantage with data, then we need to be able to give everyone access.

To give everyone equality with data, we need to find a way to make the internet available to everyone everywhere. If developed nations could help bring companies that provide internet to Burkina Faso and similar nations, it would greatly help in enabling our citizens to be able to be part of the world at large. It would make access easier and with competition between the companies, the price will hopefully be driven down, so more of our people will be able to afford it. There should also be no cost to the countries who need access. If they can barely afford to have the internet in the small portion of their country where it currently is, then they obviously cannot afford to bring the internet to the rural areas of their countries without aid from developed nations.

We would like a resolution where there is a clear possibility of internet access being given to people who are otherwise unable to get it, whether it is through developed nations urging internet providing companies to do business where the internet is sparse, or through a UN fund that will let nations use money to create school computer labs where anyone can have access. The resolution that we come to should bear no cost to the countries who are in need and severely technologically behind when it comes to things that people in first world nations use every day without even thinking about it.

However, once we have been able to establish internet and appropriate protocols, Burkina Faso will be in support of net neutrality. We feel that the internet should be free for people to express their ideas and opinions openly. Every person should be able to enjoy the internet without any advantages or disadvantages. We feel that all people are equal and that if we did not support net neutrality, we would be violating that opinion.

The delegation of Burkina Faso will further speak about how a resolution that includes the possible ways to help poverty-stricken countries be brought into the twenty-first century through the aid of the internet. We look forward to accomplishing constructive resolutions that will overall benefit the majority of people in the world. We hope to do that by having debate over the most successful ways in which we can help them.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Burundi
Delegate Name: Anish Premkumar
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

The Internet is a large device for communicating. Though, there is a large danger that the government to track you down. Only about 40% of the world has internet population today and 75% of those people are from the top 20 countries. Annually, 0.95% of the populations dies each year and the Huffington Post stated that if everyone had access to the internet it would decrease to 0.85%. 98.6% of Burundi does not have access to the internet. The government is spending 25 million dollars on high speed internet while the other countries with similar populations like Tanzania is spending 3.2 billion dollars. Burundi’s government is slowly spending more money on internet. Their access to internet is comparatively lower than many other African countries, and is therefore available to seek help from other developed countries with their dispensable need for the internet.

The Republic of Burundi is currently in a major war. Internet could help in this case to communicate with their army. The president of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza, would run for a third term in the 2015 presidential election. The announcement sparked protests by those opposed to Nkurunziza seeking a third term in office. As a result of the protests the government also shut down the country's internet and telephone network, closed all of the country's universities and government officials publicly referred to the protesters as terrorists. Since late April tens of thousands of people have fled the country, hundreds of people have been arrested and several protesters and police have been killed while dozens more have been injured. The government is using most of their money on the war, so internet fundings have not been increasing and will not be for a while. Burundi is currently seeking help from neighboring countries. Since many of those countries are also in trouble, they do not get much help.

The Republic of Burundi has many issues to overcome, but we still are currently growing on the percent of people who have access to the internet. The war is almost coming to an end, and Burundi is gaining control. Soon we will become a developed country and increase the amount of people that have access to the internet. By taking these things into account, these actions will benefit the countries of the United Nations by combining the people and making the world a much better place to live.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Canada
Delegate Name: Cameron Grogan
School: East Grand Rapids High School

The problems developing with the always growing internet poses a threat for all countries. Canada believes firmly that they should have a only few regulations and private branches of our government to monitor the ever growing internet and maintain net neutrality to the best our country can. Canada Also believes that a tax system should be set up in order to pay for this service.

Canada already has quite a few public, and private, organizations that have the authority to censor certain data on the internet in order to prevent its exposure to our common citizen. Canada has an obligation to its people to protect them. We believe that it is best for our country if we have access to a person's data if a threat seems to be apparent. So long as our government sets laws to protect our citizens rights and ensure that organizations such as; the Canadian Human Rights Commission, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters do not violate a person's rights when exposes content on the internet. It is very important that we do look into our citizens content to reduce our large, if not largest in the world, amount of hate crime.

I believe the people within Canada should have to pay for this service. The government can not support a private government organization without the increase of taxation. With the general taxation of a Canadian citizen being 15% and the average income of a canadian being around 27,600 per individual and with Canada’s population being at 35.16 million if we simply raise per year the taxation by .003% and use that tax money to fund a private organization that organization would receive $436,687,200 dollars to work with a year. The organization shall be deemed the Canadian Internet Advisory Agency (CIAA) and shall be a part of the Canadian government. The small increase of 15.003% would on require Canadians to pay an extra $12.42 a year.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Chile
Delegate Name: Donnie Crossley
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

Net neutrality has been an issue since the inventing of the internet. Governments, of course, want to be able to infiltrate wireless connections to expand their horizon of knowledge. The only concern is that civilians cherish their privacy and feel the need to have it. Chile already took their standpoint on this issue. It is evident that people deserve a right to privacy, but also the right to safety, so some measures have been taken into action to ensure that.

Chile passed the Chilean Net Neutrality Law on August 18, 2010, making them the first country to enact a law related to net neutrality. Under this law, internet service providers (ISP) are defined, the prohibition of arbitrary blockage, interference, discrimination, obstruction, and restriction to the activities of internet users has been established, and much more has been resolved. Chile is trying to maintain internet security and peace without danger. They do not believe it is the role of the government to monitor everyone’s personal wireless business, but privately, people can do what they want. For example, one of the obligations under the Chilean Net Neutrality Law is to offer parental controls. Since this is a relation between a parent and child, it is ethical to allow this kind of monitoring. The same type of monitoring goes along with businesses and home internet routers.

Chile believes that there should be a definite way to monitor wireless activities, but a government should only infiltrate wireless communications if there is suspected terrorism, or any other potential extreme dangers are imminent. The people of the world deserve their privacy to their internet usage, but also the right to a safe living environment without the fear of online terrorists or hackers.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: China
Delegate Name: Marshall Klein
School: Kalamazoo Central High School

The expansive computer network known as the Internet has been around, in one form or another, since the mid-1960s. However, notwithstanding early use as a military communications system or academic research tool, the Internet in its modern sense truly coalesced in the early 1990’s with the mass integration of commercial enterprise networks and the expansion of access to everyday people. While it is no coincidence that this expansion of access came at a time when home computing was rapidly transitioning from an obscure hobby to a practical necessity, it is also true that the spread of so-called “information technology” was actively promoted in its own right. This level of interconnectedness is unprecedented in human history, and has the potential to place virtually all of human knowledge literally at the fingertips of all who make use of it. Yet for all of this, the modern Internet is a relatively new development, and is consequently still rapidly evolving.

The Internet, however, is not a monolithic entity. Significant infrastructure underlies even the most basic web connection, and access to Internet connectivity is or can be controlled by a variety of entities. Any given user’s data can be intercepted at myriad points within this system, which gives rise to the question: should it be? Net neutrality is the principle that all data should be treated equally, neither interfered with nor advantaged in any way. But is this always practical? Surely governments should be able to search internet traffic in order to prevent attacks by hostile forces, copyright holders should be given the ability to shut down unauthorized transmission of their content, and parents should be able to see what their children are doing online? There is also the issue of cost. Infrastructure is expensive, and the number of Internet users has been increasing rapidly for years. Service providers argue that the heaviest users of network resources should pay commensurate costs, and that in order to better manage network load, providers themselves should be able to prioritize certain transmissions over others.

The Internet is a powerful tool for mass communication, and as a forum for the free exchange of ideas it is unsurpassed. There is significant danger that by allowing service providers to give priority to certain traffic over others, users with greater ability to buy priority treatment will come to dominate the network. It is impossible to allow government access to read or even block certain “dangerous” forms of expression online without opening the door to regulation and repression of other expressions, even by other entities. Yet for all the principled arguments in favor of net neutrality, security concerns and infrastructure-development costs still exist. It is SCITECH’s task to examine the issue in all of its facets, to address all concerns as thoroughly as possible, and to determine, if need be, what principles will be sacrificed in order to realize the committee’s vision of what must be done.

CHINA on the issue: Since its founding in 1949, the People's Republic of China (PRC) has exerted great effort in manipulating the flow of information and prohibiting the dissemination of viewpoints that criticize the government or stray from the official Communist party view. The introduction of Internet technology in the mid-1990s presented a challenge to government control over news sources, and by extension, over public opinion. While the Internet has developed rapidly, broadened access to news, and facilitated mass communications in China, many forms of expression online, as in other mass media, are still significantly stifled. Empirical studies have found that China has one of the most sophisticated content-filtering Internet regimes in the world. The Chinese government employs increasingly sophisticated methods to limit content online, including a combination of legal regulation, surveillance, and punishment to promote self-censorship, as well as technical controls.

Private Sector Access to Outer Space:

Much is often made of the remarkably short span of years between the dawn of powered human flight in 1903 and the current high-water mark of manned space exploration with the Moon landing of 1969: only 66 years, in most cases less than a human lifetime. Military needs drove much of aviation’s early development, as governments sought to exploit the advantages of the airplane as a machine of war, but commercial airlines soon brought aviation to the masses in the years between World War I and World War II. Yet spaceflight, with only very recent exceptions, has long been the exclusive province of governments. Thus, while the benefits of space technology such as global telecommunications and weather monitoring have certainly been realized, it has only been possible at great expense and an incredible amount of labor.However, recent policy shifts have permitted a relaxation of formerly strict controls on space launch technology. With the rise of private entities capable of designing, building, and launching their own technology into Earth orbit, it is now possible for genuine competition to drive development. Practically speaking, this should result in lower costs, higher safety, and more widely available service—a trend also seen with the rise of commercial aviation. Greater access at lower cost, in particular, would mean that the benefits of satellite technology could be much more widely distributed. Advances in telecommunications have resulted in the 21st Century being called the “Information Age”, yet phone and Internet access in rural and less-developed areas continues to lag behind the rest of the world. Weather and environmental monitoring is an invaluable tool for emergency preparedness, resource management, and global stewardship. Eliminating, or even mitigating, cost as a barrier to entry will be a long step towards eliminating global technological and developmental disparities. And while it is something of a pipe-dream at present, the time may come when so-called “space tourism,” the entry into outer space by private citizens, is no longer the preserve of the ultra-rich. Governments, commercial entities, and even private citizens all have an interest in enhancing access to space technology. By expanding the pool of options from limited government-controlled space launch capacity to include a growing number of commercial options, this goal may realistically be achieved—for developing states and private entities alike. Yet there is a danger in allowing a too-rapid spread of access. As with consumer-level and commercial unmanned aviation, issues of safety and poorly-regulated traffic raise valid concerns, which must consequently be addressed before access can be more widely granted. SCITECH must strike a balance between ensuring safety, security, and compliance with existing treaties on the use of outer space on the one hand, and achieving the desired increase in technological, educational, and economic development on the other.

China: In the US, much of the recent media attention to space travel is centered on the activities of flamboyant billionaires and private companies. Left out, though, is the fact that, like in much of the rest of global business, a new generation of Chinese commercial and tourist space endeavors are looking to compete as well. One of the more intriguing of China's emerging commercial space launch companies is Expace. Founded in February, the firm will be the lead tenant of China's first commercial space industrial park in Wuhan, China. It has already signed up over 10 launches for its solid fueled Kuaizhou Rockets. Zhang Di, Expace's chairman, is also a Deputy Director of the Fourth Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), which makes the Kuaizhou rockets. China is not the enemy of private space flight, but an ally; and a competitor.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Colombia
Delegate Name: Woojin Chung
School: Fishers High School

Colombia supports the U.N.’s current policy of protecting net-neutrality and the right for people to have an open Internet with the exception of a few websites, necessary for the safety and protection for the people of Colombia.

While Colombia cannot extend Internet access to all citizens, freedom of the web is offered to those who have access. Requirements for net neutrality were built into our public services plan in 2011. However, Colombia firmly stands with the belief that child pornography and websites regarding terrorist organizations such as the FARC should be monitored and filtered.

Maintaining regulations on net neutrality is a key factor in preserving fair competition between companies and businesses. People have the right to freely choose between what content and applications they view or use; similarly, all companies should have the equal freedom to distribute their services to the same pool of customers. All bias by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should be removed for an unprejudiced playing field, both for the people and businesses.

ISPs have also had a major influence regarding politics in countries such as the US. In the past, certain ISPs have blocked their customers from viewing websites containing ideals the respective ISP disagrees with. This potentially altered the supporting population of the candidates due to a variance in exposure of one candidate’s campaign over another. Cellphone companies such as Tigo and Claro have also offered plans where certain apps are accessible at no charge while others require payment to view.

Actions like these are threaten the democracy of the Internet, and to prevent occurrences similar to this, other countries should follow Colombia’s lead in appointing regulatory bodies within the government to help regulate ISPs from abusing their power. This further supports the notion that net neutrality is vital in regards to fair economic markets, politics, and the basic rights of people and should be implemented in countries.

Countries should highly consider enacting net neutrality into their legislature at an attempt to reduce possible monopolies in business markets. Without net neutrality, countries could face turmoil from provoked residents who believe their basic rights have been stripped.

"From Pokémon Go to Whatsapp: Challenges to Net Neutrality in the U.S. and Colombia." Center for Latin American Studies UC Berkeley. N.p., 05 Aug. 2016. Web.

@FreedomHouseDC. "Colombia." Freedom House. N.p., n.d. Web.

@BNamericas. "Net Neutrality Movement Strengthening in Latin America – BNamericas." BNamericas. N.p., 08 Sept. 2011. Web.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Cuba
Delegate Name: Alec Bussott
School: Mattawan High School

While today’s youth were raised with the miracles of the internet, this form of technology is still relatively young, making old politics very concerned and worried. But not everything stays youthful – the internet has evolved into a revolutionary new type of technology that pushes many boundaries for many countries. On one hand, the internet provides liberation for a country’s citizens. They can feel connected with global society and stay updated with pressing international news. Items like social media and online journals have pushed the proverbial envelope father towards globalization. However, other country’s citizens suffer government restrictions and slow access to the internet. In China’s case, internet censorship is rampant, with citizens unable to access particular sites and thus unable to interact with global society. Countries throughout the world have criticized and protested against China’s awful censorship history, yet little has been improved. Today, governments debate whether or not their citizens have the right to free, fast internet.

Cuba’s definitive stance on net neutrality is uncertain. On one hand, they support net neutrality and improving internet connectivity. As relations between the USA and Cuba gradually continue to improve, Cuba can begin to leave a black hole of information similar to North Korea’s present state. However, Cuba’s internet connectivity is very spotty – deemed by some as the worst in the world. Only five percent of Cubans have internet access at their homes. There are forty government-approved wi-fi hotspots for citizens to use inside and outside major cities such as Havana. Internet access with those hotspots does not come free, however, costing Cubans $2.25 an hour. Of course, Cuba blames past embargoes from the US as the reasons behind spotty internet connection and high access prices. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are allowed for browsing, but any sites opposing Cuban politics are strictly prohibited.

Ultimately, Cuba wants to see from this session a progressive movement that improves internet connectivity for its citizens. Cuba’s increased talks with countries like the USA promotes the beginning of globalization for the once isolated country. Through net neutrality, Cuba can begin progressing towards a new era of international relations.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Cyprus
Delegate Name: Madison Petersen
School: Vicksburg High School

The internet is a great tool for communication, academics, entertainment, and even business. A lot of information is shared and spread through the internet. Although, the internet is used so commonly throughout everyday life, there are a lot of underlying parts of the internet that everyday people do not pay attention to. Most people to not think of the fact that the information that they put out on the internet can be seen and intercepted by governments.

Cyprus believes that governments have the right to monitor and restrict internet access in order to prevent attacks and violent military actions from harming their countries. Cyprus also believes that all countries should have equal internet access and speeds. Allowing service providers to prioritize the internet traffic of certain countries over others is wrong and it is SCITECH’s job to make sure that prioritizing does not take place when it comes to the internet. The internet is a tool that all countries should have access to. Poor countries should not be discriminated against due to their lack of funds to pay service providers for faster internet.

Another issue to consider is whether or not the UN should help to expand internet access to countries that do not have to resources to gain internet access on their own. Cyprus is willing to hear the viewpoints of other countries but would ultimately be in favor or a resolution that allows governments to intervene when necessary and helps make internet access available and equal for poorer countries.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Czech Republic
Delegate Name: Sarah Hiatt
School: Fishers High School

The Czech Republic has long since agreed with the Digital Agenda of the EU. The Czech Republic believes in freedom of speech, with a multitude of courts often siding with the Public Media instead of the Czech Republic, when the government of Czech Republic has faced public criticism, such as political cartoons. It is from this belief, along with the need for a competitive market that Czech Republic that every citizen of our great nation has a right to equal internet with the equal opportunities that Czech Republic would like to first stress the necessity that the Czech Republic does everything the Czech Republic's power to stimulate investment and remove any hindering in the growth of the digital economy. It is the Czech Republic's belief that the lack of enforces net neutrality monopolies the digital market and does not properly ensure competition between businesses within a digital market. In compliance with the Digital Agenda of the EU, the government has set forth the target of achieving universal high-speed internet access for the population of the Czech Republic.

The Czech Republic would like to see that each country take responsibility digital expansion within each company by implementing such actions such as the promotion of the development of high-quality infrastructure, the further expansion of digital services and fostering digital literacy. Czech Republic believes that these necessities for bettering the digital economy can only be done through offering equal and fair opportunities for ICT, regardless of location, social status or disability.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Delegate Name: Abigail Pointer
School: Forest Hills Central High School

Net neutrality, the debate whether citizens should have access to the full span of the internet, is an issue affecting developing and already developed countries alike. Many countries, most notably the US, have put protection into place to protect the right to access the expanse of the internet; however, it is being seen that countries that do not have protection in place are being taken advantage of. Facebook created their internet.org program, which was an effort to provide free internet to developing countries around the world, but only making a very limited range of access available, cutting out their competition. India, a large receiver of Facebook’s internet service, recently passed a law that protected their net neutrality.

DR Congo sees what actions countries have taken to protect their net neutrality and is on board with that movement. A letter was written to the FCC of the US to commending them for passing the recent net neutrality act. As many as thirty global groups signed the letter, including a signatory from the DR Congo. The progress that the US makes is a “major step for net neutrality around the world”. Despite being on board for net neutrality, DR Congo has a spotty history with internet usage. For a period in 2015, internet was taken away to prevent communication of riots. Though now restored, only 3.9% of the population, roughly 3 million people, only have access to internet. DR Congo does not have any net neutrality protection, and though companies such as Facebook offer limited range, it is successful with providing internet to an otherwise internetless country. DR Congo at this time does not have the ability to provide internet to its population.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Denmark
Delegate Name: Cole Dzubak
School: Mattawan High School

The internet has been around since the 1960s, it first being mainly used by the military. In today’s world, the internet is now used by the wide masses for individual and commercial use. With this intermix of individual and commercial use, there is the potential for commercial influence over the individual’s access to the internet with things like fees and other barriers.

Denmark, when it comes to the internet, is a peculiar country. Around 1.3 million Danish households have connection to the internet, in Denmark the leading internet provider being TDC. In Denmark, the operator nurture the dialogue between regulators and other stakeholders. Denmark has a code of conduct that is used by different consumer groups within the country. Also, they believe that the most important safeguard is competition. However, Denmark is noticed to have some of the weaker net neutrality laws within the EU.

Denmark is willing to look for better laws concerning net neutrality. While they have self-regulating laws within the country, Denmark still performs weaker than most of the EU. Denmark is an independent country, but they will look for better ways to control the net neutrality for their country. The police system is able to gather info from communication within the internet in Denmark. This can stress some worries, as there is always the argument of safety over system. However, in recent years, the equality between how the internet between individual and commercial sources is decent. While they have a good system, it can always be better.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Egypt
Delegate Name: Brendan Slusser
School: Royal Oak High School

As the world continues down the path of the Age of Information that the worldwide web has facilitated, a large movement started by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that is advocating for internet to be provided entirely unfiltered with no strings attached. This immense technological growth can certainly be beneficial to our society, but it can also pose some serious threats to a nation’s national security.

The Arab Republic of Egypt, with the above concerns in mind, also recognizes that it is impossible for net neutrality to exist without the mutual respect from both the government of a state, and said state’s population. When one or more of these key components are lacking, then the state begins to experience social unrest, just as Egypt saw during the recent Arab Spring revolutions. Furthermore, with a neutral net, how can it be possible to prevent similar acts of violence in the future when a state would not be permitted to investigate without jumping through a myriad of hoops that would make it too late to act? Once more, Egypt recognizes every person’s right to free speech and peaceful assembly. However, we must lay a heavy emphasis on being peaceful and respectful.

That being said, Egypt is by no means entirely opposed to the idea of net neutrality. As a matter of fact, we applaud the FCC for laying the foundation for this concept. Therefore, Egypt requests that net neutrality be implemented by all states, but at their own pace. This gives every state a chance to make a gradual change without drastically disrupting the social and cultural order within said state.

Egypt, along with many other nations including Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, Bahrain, and Syria have had first hand experiences of what happens when technology facilitates change far too quick for the state to keep up with. The violent, bloody uprisings that all of these nations faced should be evidence enough that net neutrality should be approached cautiously and gradually.

With all of that being said, the Arab Republic of Egypt looks forward to working to create a thoughtful, effective resolution to this issue at GLIMUN 2016. We hope that all nations will listen to what each other have to say, and remain open to compromise.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Estonia
Delegate Name: Ha Young Kim
School: Grand Blanc High School

Although the idea of the internet has existed since the 19th century, commercial internet providers have only been around for about thirty years, making it a relatively new topic and creating conflict on where governments should stand in regulating the distribution of internet services. Because Estonia has been immersed in the internet and related technologies, it has become known as e-Estonia for its involvement in creating an information and communications technology (ICT) sector in its government to aid the regulation of internet use with its people. Previous experience with the Soviet’s intruding control over information made Estonia appreciate the freedoms that come with net neutrality, making it one of the most net neutral countries and a strong advocate for the regulation of the internet in order to make sure that rights are protected from both the government and people’s perspectives.

Estonia wishes for everyone to be able to use the internet so that they are benefited and aren’t slowed by corporations that want all the benefits to themselves. This especially affects Estonia where there are approximately 160 mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people. With 85% of its people on the internet, it is only 3 percent behind the United States which ranks 22 positions higher on the human development index (HDI). It is apparent that Estonia is involved in incorporating technology into the Estonian daily life through the paperless e-Cabinet, e-Police, and e-School systems. Estonia has already drafted legislation that calls for supervising service providers and protecting smaller companies from facing larger companies that can afford faster service. Along with regulating internet services among the Estonians, Estonia has helped the United States and Italy by directing proposals for net neutrality.

With companies like Skype and Netflix requesting that they are given priority when it comes of internet traffic, Estonia believes that certain corporations should be allowed to have higher speeds while not infringing on other internet services rights. In the end, internet service should be available to everyone with little difference in quality or price. To do this, there will have to be government regulation of the internet services of different corporations. Checking internet service providers is necessary to eliminate corruption and inequality when it comes to providing equal access. With equal access there is no room for discrimination and governments can promote quality internet service open to everyone.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Ethiopia
Delegate Name: Griffin Glick
School: Roeper School

In the past 2 decades, the internet has rapidly grown into a fundamental force of worldwide communications and day-to-day life in many countries. Although it may have started off as a military tool, it has now completed a transition between private and public widespread access around the world. This powerful tool for inter-connectivity has both facilitated the alliances of many nations, along with allowing information to disseminate around the world at previously unimaginable speeds. The development of social media has allowed people to coordinate at high pace with a lower chance of being intercepted than before at almost any point in human history. The Ethiopian constitution calls for freedom of press and speech, under which messages such as these are protected.

As shown by the extensive utilization of social media by the Daesh and other terrorist organization, dangerous attacks can be planned and carried out. Such forms of communication have proved to be efficient tools for all forms of communication, both constructive and destructive. Although social media can be used for positive and progressive social movements, the internet in Ethiopia is frequently used by political dissenters that are attempting to produce and persuade falsely informed opposition groups that wrongly attempt to undermine the national sovereignty of Ethiopia. In order to protect our citizens, Ethiopia maintains that we have the responsibility of restricting false and damaging propagandist materials because such materials may corrupt the public. As is demonstrated by the shutting down those spreading false materials and hate, Ethiopia reserves the right to censor outright terrorist organizations.

Ethiopia is pro net-neutrality, but believes to have the right to block access to all sources for the benefit and livelihood of its people.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Finland
Delegate Name: Malaynah Leach
School: Vicksburg High School

In order to ensure all citizens have access to internet free from discrimination, net neutrality needs to be addressed. As the use of internet has been increasing rapidly around the world within the last two decades, recognizing and implementing actions to enforce net neutrality is more important than ever.

In 2010, Finland became the first country in the world to make broadband a human right for all of their citizens. Finland created such a law in order to allow all of their citizens to be apart of the information society they have worked to build. Since 2010, Finland’s number of internet users went from 86% to 92%, proving growth in their efforts to make internet access a human right. As Finland works towards providing internet for all of their citizens, they also stand by enforcing net neutrality laws. Finland believes that if the internet is not equal for all users, it would be infringing on individuals basic rights.

The EU,of which Finland is a member of, ruled that the principles of net neutrality were to be enforced across the entire European Union in 2016. This includes the elimination of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from having any involvement in what end users can access and what they are allowed to put out themselves. This provision of the EU is a large step in creating a world of free internet access and opportunities for all individuals and should be used as a model for other countries who have not yet made a step in applying net neutrality in their society.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: France
Delegate Name: Isaiah Daik
School: Williamston High School

One of the most important problems when dealing with the subject of net neutrality is making sure all data is treated equally and adhering to an individual’s right to privacy, while also balancing how much power a nation’s government has when accessing a citizen’s private data. Many argue that data should not be interfered with in any way, but others say that the government of a nation should be able to search internet traffic and data when it is deemed needed. National security is a common reason proposed why private data should be accessed. However, when a government deems certain data a national security threat and the data is then accessed it sparks controversy in regards to when nations are allowed to breach an individual’s private data. The United Nations must decide what rights data subjects have and when a nation’s government has the right to access an individual’s private data.

In addition France is greatly involved with the subject of net neutrality as it has passed several pieces of legislation related to it and will continue to be in compliance with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation. In January of 2016 France passed The Digital Bill which expanded privacy protections for individuals. Some of the expanded protections include the data controller’s obligation to inform an individual when a retention period has started or when a data breach has occurred. The bill has also granted France’s data privacy regulator, the CNIL, the ability to cooperate with supervisory authorities in countries outside the European Union offering a similar level of data protection. The bill also expands the CNIL powers as it would increase the amount of monetary sanctions it can impose for privacy violations. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation is another piece of net neutrality legislation that France will be complying with. It outlines the rights of data users across the European Union as well as rules for data controllers that must be followed in order to ensure privacy protection for the user, many of which France has already implemented with The Digital Bill. France will continue to enhance net neutrality within its borders and encourages other nations to follow similar paths of net neutrality.

France would propose to help resolve the issue of net neutrality by encouraging other nations to adopt a system similar to its own. France encourages countries to expand privacy rights to individuals such as the right for a data subject to give consent before their private data is collected and processed. France would also encourage nations to establish a governing body to regulate data privacy matters, much like the CNIL. This governing body would be able to punish those in violation of the country's privacy laws as well as to determine in certain cases if it is acceptable to access an individual’s data without consent. How the governing body would operate would be subject to change depending on the nation it exists in. France feels that this system of operation is fair to both the individual, and the individual’s government, and expects other European Union countries to support this such as Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Georgia
Delegate Name: Benjamin Brown
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

In the approximately two decades following the nascence of the Internet as a communication and research device for the masses, the rate of data flowing across the planet has exploded to unprecedented levels, and so too has the potential for theft of highly confidential information—securityintelligence.com notes that “we […] see escalation in cybercrime every year,” and the United States Department of Homeland Security maintains that “increased connectivity brings increased risk of theft, fraud, and abuse.” On 27 October 2015, the European Parliament voted against more explicit legislation in favor of net neutrality, a source of contention among proponents of the policy. Governments across the world struggle to balance national cyber-security and the privacy of their citizens – two concerns that are difficult to reconcile. Neither is ideal; no moral nation would surveil every aspect of its citizens’ lives, and to neglect the potential for cyber-terrorism is to condemn one’s citizens to attack from foreign aggressors. As Internet penetration increases at record speeds—in the last year alone, the number of internet users worldwide increased by nearly 250 million, according to information from data.worldbank.org—we must all be particularly mindful of both issues.

Georgia’s governing bodies have cooperated to achieve a balance between the two in other areas of telecommunications, such as “two-key” legislation (addressed by the Constitutional Court on 14 April 2016) restricting governmental telephone surveillance. President Margvelashvili has expressed satisfaction with the “active involvement of political forces […] ongoing over this bill.” The Georgian National Communication Committee (GNCC) treats all forms of communication equally and is careful to maintain an impartial stance toward data on the Internet, even as the number of users approaches 50% of the national population.

The Georgian government hopes that the United Nations will continue to encourage net neutrality, as it has in the past. Georgia recommends that member states draft a resolution that supports open Internet with provisions for national security. The World Wide Web is aptly named, and we as a world must take care not to brutalize its strands in our attempts to manage it.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Germany
Delegate Name: William Mester
School: Royal Oak High School

The Internet has been a great resource for lots of different applications. Two major uses of the internet are websites/platforms for being social online, and websites/platforms for being entertained online. The major difference between the two is how much broadband they require. While social media pages are easy to access, videos online are harder to buffer or download. This is because they require a different amount of bits to come through, the social media needing less, while the entertainment needing more.

With the proposal of Net Neutrality, all data is treated equally with every website sent out at the same speed. As mentioned before this will not work. Not all data is equal and ISPs should have the right to send out data at whatever speed they choose. If ISPs do so, this brings competition among ISPs as to which one can load your YouTube video the fastest. With that competition, prices go down and internet is then more accessible to the people. Though this is a major part of net neutrality, there are other aspects of net neutrality Germany is not opposed to. The questions we must ask is how can keep fast lanes and still maintain net neutrality. A resolution should be made so we can still bring all the aspects of net neutrality into play while still allowing fast lanes. A good resolution will create a new definition of net neutrality that thoroughly explains each aspect of net neutrality and creates a set of rules for the ISP for what they can and cannot do.

Germany looks forward to working out a resolution to net neutrality that allows us to have fast lanes. This topic is very important to us as 88% of our citizens use the internet. Germany looks forward to working with other delegates and discussing the issues with net neutrality and making a new definition of net neutrality.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Greece
Delegate Name: Catherine Huang
School: Grand Blanc High School

Net neutrality, also known as open Internet, means that all websites, advertisements, and social media posts online are treated equally. It says Internet service providers (ISPs) do not have the right to discriminate against or block specific content. Net neutrality also means that a company cannot pay extra to ISPs to obtain faster content delivery speed, ensuring that small and large enterprises have equal rights to utilize the Internet. In 2015, the European Union passed regulations to strengthen net neutrality. They banned ISPs from favoring certain web traffic over others, with a few exceptions such as to manage data congestion or comply with a legal order. However, some digital rights advocates were still unsatisfied and thought the exceptions should be more narrow. The issue of net neutrality will grow because more and more people use the Internet. These users will need guidelines to uphold their rights to freedom of speech and protect small markets from oppressive companies.

Officially, Greece has no position on net neutrality. We only respectfully listen to what our fellow European Union members have to say. Out of the twenty-eight states in the EU, twenty-three have established opinions. The purpose of the EU uniting to discuss net neutrality is to offer inspiration to each other and ensure compatibility. If any guidelines are recommended, Greece wants to hear them. The debates over net neutrality affect our country because over sixty percent of our population use the Internet. That is several million people who want to search information online, start a business, or express a thought on social media. In particular, beginning entrepreneurs struggle when internet service providers give unfair speeds to already successful monopolies. The many startup businesses in Greece are having trouble paying for web services such as those from Google and Amazon. New businesses must be given the right to advertise online and make profit because they evolve into the future. As of now, Greece has no Internet restrictions that stop people from expressing themselves in emails, statements, or phone calls.

Greece plans to do whatever is necessary to uphold the civil rights of our citizens. This will most likely follow the direction of the European Union, which is towards enforced net neutrality. However, we don’t intend to implement the many exceptions to non-interference that the EU suggested. Our country has already fared well with our absence of Internet use restrictions. Greece has a much, much lower crime rate than the U.S., so there is no reason for us to start monitoring all citizens’ online actions now. Our primary concern is that small businesses are shoved to “slow lane” Internet speeds. We propose that internet service providers across the United Nations be prohibited from selling faster speed to any company. After all, Greece receives some of our data service from foreign sources. This will enable all members of the UN, not just Greece, to stand on equal ground when it comes to business and advertising.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Guatemala
Delegate Name: Anton Ludwig
School: East Grand Rapids High School

The internet has become a pivotal tool in the modern world. It is now used daily by people all over the world for an incredible variety of tasks. However, as the internet grows, rules and regulations are bound to be established. One issue is network neutrality: the premise that all data should be treated the same, and some should not be favored over any other. This issue mainly concerns internet service providers, and whether or not they should be able to regulate information.

Net neutrality is an issue that affects the way people will be able to use the internet and the way the internet will grow as a service. Having net neutrality will stimulate internet service provider competition and drive entrepreneurship. In Guatemala, only 27.1% of the population used the internet at all in 2015. Guatemala wishes to make this number grow, and hopes to expand the opportunities for all its citizens with the internet. Without net neutrality, the internet could severely suffer from lack of growth.

Guatemala currently does not have laws concerning net neutrality, but hopes for a resolution that supports it. Guatemala believes that having a free internet is essential for continued economic growth, as it spurs entrepreneurs and competition between internet service providers. Guatemala would like to see resolutions that encourage user adoption and expansion of the incredible resources a free internet provides, and looks forward to keeping one of the most powerful tools available open and neutral.

Main Sources:

1. CIA World Factbook

2. TheOpenInter.net

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Guyana
Delegate Name: MacKenzie McCowen
School: Vicksburg High School

In the Republic of Guyana, 270,200 out of 799,613 citizens are connected to the internet. We currently have no internet restrictions and we do not monitor email or internet chat room activity without being given warrants first. Our laws strictly prohibit interference with our citizens internet use, we are a country that fully respects the privacy of our citizens. We are only allowed to search through a judge issued warrant, only to be issued during a case of an emergency. On July 18th 2016, Guyana has passed the Telecommunications Bill that deals with Net Neutrality in Guyana. The main purpose for this bill, is to put internet spying to an end. This bill has been in the progress of passing since 2010, allowing the internet to grow over the years, as well as watching how many other countries have handled telecommunication laws. This law

has closed the virtual monopoly our country once had. The telecommunications bill has also increased the quality of Guyana’s internet service, and lower prices to customers. We also hope to expand our internet access into areas of Guyana that are underdeveloped technically. Through the expansion it should help better social and economic development. We also hope that through the expansion we can gain internet access in our schools, so our children can engage in online learning programs. The next three days, Guyana can only hope that our policy can help others. We hope we can influence countries who have strict internet surfing policies, to lead off a little. The government should have little or no involvement with the internet unless it is absolutely necessary.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Hungary
Delegate Name: Gabe Guimond
School: Mattawan High School

For the past fifty years, the Internet has peristed in some form or another, exponentially evolving into its current stage. Undoubtedly, the Internet has helped mankind achieve success in regards to technology, the sharing of information, and convenience. While these aspects of the Internet are very appealing, there is also a dark side to the Internet…a side that is often overlooked. Unfortunately, the Internet can be used in a variety cyber crimes – anywhere from stealing credit card information to planning an entire terrorist operation. This is a result from unfathomable amounts of information that are shared knowingly and unknowingly every second. This information can be used by a variety of entities both good and bad. We, as global citizens, need to acknowledge that these dangers are prevalent and need to be addressed. While most of us see the potential threats that are associated with the Internet, we need to ask ourselves, “How far are we willing to go to ensure a safe cyber space and where will the power(s) of control be delegated?”

On November 6th, 2014, the Hungarian government implemented an Internet tax which required Hungarian citizens to pay an annual tax for Internet usage. Many claimed this was the end of Net Neutrality due to the government interfering with the citizens’ access to information. This tax also influences which network providers Hungarians can use. For example, in order to connect to you need to be connected to networks approved by the Hungarian government. This type of control endorses certain companies over others.

The Delegation of Hungary believes that moderation is absolutely necessary with regards to the Internet. It’s the Wild West and law and order must be enforced before lawlessness ensues. Hungary strongly believes that a combination of government and service providers can lead to allocating information which results in solving criminal activity. Furthermore, a series of checks and balances must be established so no entity can completely monopolize vital information. We are open to discussing projected budgets and the bestowment of power to those who truly want a more efficient and safe cyber community.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Iceland
Delegate Name: Peter Cullen
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

Recently, the internet has been labeled as a utility by the more and more countries. Known as the right to Broadband, it is already established in the European Union, the United States, most EFTA nations, and Costa Rica. The Internet, a network of networks created towards the end of the 1980’s, is designed to link electronic devices worldwide, and is the conglomerate of information of mankind, and a tool which can be utilized to connect individuals from opposite ends of the globe. Recently, however, broadband companies and governments have seeked to regulate the internet by putting certain content behind paywalls or simply cutting parts of the internet for their citizens. Currently, according to Reporters without Borders, the Internet is under pervasive regulation in at least 19 different countries. Limitation of the Internet is the same as limitation of the connectivity and progression of mankind. The internet provides means of communication for developing countries is essential, too. The Internet provides a means for Iceland’s stance on net neutrality is that of almost complete freedom.

The Internet has provided such creative freedoms and entrepreneurial successes because people and people only decide which websites gain traffic. Upon the emphasis of certain websites over others, the populace loses some of the control they had in the progression of information. The UN Special Rapporteur recognized the right to development on the Internet for good reason. Halting development causes stagnation in progression of knowledge and connectivity; however, when treating Internet as a utility, it’s tempting to allow some basic services for free, such as Facebook and Wikipedia; however, Iceland recognizes that this form of basic Internet is a form of Internet prioritization, as India’s Telecom Regulatory Authority stated that “No service provider shall enter into any arrangement, agreement or contract, by whatever name called, with any person, natural or legal, that has the effect of discriminatory tariffs for data services being offered or charged to the consumer on the basis of content.” Iceland is under perfect agreement with this statement, as it could lead to a lack of opportunity for the citizens. Censorship is prohibited by our constitution, as openness between a government and its people is what leads to a good relationship between the citizens and those in control. Our government is meant to be run by the people, thus censorship goes against the core of our nation.

In general, net neutrality policies will result in positive outcomes for both developing countries and stable nations. Once again, while Internet prioritization may be tempting in the short run to make some Internet available for everyone, in the long run that would cause stagnation in net development, and cause monopolies in the field of those specific websites. And for Internet providers, tiers of payment depending on quantity of Internet use is also tempting; however that form of regulation is almost just as flawed, as oftentimes it is necessary for net development. According to the Global Information Technology Report (2010-2011), Iceland is ranked 1 out of 138 for accessibility to digital content. We wish for more nations to increase their accessibility on the internet to encourage the opportunities for their citizens.

Only one bill needs to be passed in order to destroy net neutrality for good. Net neutrality must come out ahead every single time for it to continue. This is why it is essential that regulations be encouraged on an international level soon, otherwise freedom of decision, development and populace chosen emphasis will disappear for good. Iceland implores that the Internet stays in the hands of the people, and out of the hands of governments and corporations. Broadband leveled pricing is harmful for consumers, and access to only some parts of the Internet must also be overturned to prevent prioritization of information. We also hope that nations currently censoring the Internet would stop such actions as it leads to a relationship of authoritative oppression between the people and their government.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: India
Delegate Name: Braden Porterfield
School: Royal Oak High School

Net neutrality is one simple step toward a whole world that can access the internet. The most important thing to remember about the world’s advancement of internet technology is that every nation is advancing at a different pace. 74 percent of US citizens have access to internet while India is at 34% and Burkina Faso is at 3%. SCITEC’s job as a committee is to establish policies that allow every nation to grow in a safe way.

India is strong in their stance against large corporations attempting to limit the access low-income citizens have to the internet. Facebook’s “free basics” is one example of limiting options citizens have to the internet, providing only websites approved by Facebook to families that have no other access to internet. Endeavors like this one restrict growth because they promote a reliance on an unsatisfactory option for internet access

It is India’s responsibility as a nation that is still developing in technology to protect others that are even less developed. We will encourage smaller countries to resist easy access to internet in favor of access that is built from the bottom.

India understands the need for cyber security, and sees the serious possibility that a completely neutral internet may leave a nation more open to attacks. India urges SCITEC to pass resolutions that support national safety, while never loosing the virtue of freedom for the people

Net neutrality is one simple step toward a whole world that can access the internet. The most important thing to remember about the world’s advancement of internet technology is that every nation is advancing at a different pace. 74 percent of US citizens have access to internet while India is at 34% and Burkina Faso is at 3%. SCITEC’s job as a committee is to establish policies that allow every nation to grow in a safe way.

India is strong in their stance against large corporations attempting to limit the access low-income citizens have to the internet. Facebook’s “free basics” is one example of limiting options citizens have to the internet, providing only websites approved by Facebook to families that have no other access to internet. Endeavors like this one restrict growth because they promote a reliance on an unsatisfactory option for internet access

It is India’s responsibility as a nation that is still developing in technology to protect others that are even less developed. We will encourage smaller countries to resist easy access to internet in favor of access that is built from the bottom.

India understands the need for cyber security, and sees the serious possibility that a completely neutral internet may leave a nation more open to attacks. India urges SCITEC to pass resolutions that support national safety, while never losing the virtue of freedom for the people.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Indonesia
Delegate Name: Ella Stauffer
School: Forest Hills Northern High School

Net neutrality is the principle that internet service providers should enable access to the internet to everyone regardless of the user or content. As of now, Indonesia has no net neutrality law, but people like google’s co-founder, Brin, are trying to campaign to bring net neutrality to the country. Indonesia has a history of struggling to create policies that support digital information transaction throughout their country. This country is against net neutrality.

There was a problem not long ago over Netflix. Netflix was blocked by Indonesia’ state-owned telecommunication company called Telkom. In the very beginning of 2016 Indonesia’s main internet provider, Telkom, blocked users from watching Netflix due to adult content that is prohibited under the film laws. People are stepping forward and saying that Indonesia should not be internet neutral. As said by Alexander Rusli, Chairman of the association of telecommunications organizer of ATSI, “anyway, we do not support net neutrality.” Alexander Rusli, CEO of Indosat also said in 2015, "Indosat very firmly reject the name of net neutrality…All the operators firm , the government is also firm that we do not support net neutrality.”

United Nations expert David Kaye said that when the USA passed a new regulation protecting net-neutrality was a “real victory” for freedom of expression and giving everyone in the country equal access to information. A lot of countries don’t want the United Nations to have a lot of control over the Internet. As of now, there is not UN position or proposals on net neutrality.

Indonesia does not believe in net neutrality. They think that free internet access is bad because it could lead to citizens watching or reading inappropriate content. Internet providers like Telkholm block certain content on websites such as Netflix and that is where all of the controversy is. Indonesia basically wants inappropriate things to be blocked from being viewed. I propose that we prohibit some websites from our citizens to protect them from unwanted data.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Iran
Delegate Name: Mitchell Cole
School: Forest Hills Central High School

Inside of my glorious, Islamic nation of Iran, there is a national internet program, where a ‘clean’/censored version of the common internet is created and accessible only to citizens inside the country. We would disagree with net neutrality so we can control what our citizens see, for their own good.

Net neutrality is not currently practiced in Iran, where examples of service providers being ‘bought out’ by websites or companies. A website called Aparat benefited from what could be termed a zero rating arrangement it made with a mobile carrier called RighTel, which until last year was the _italic_ only _italic_ provider with a license to offer 3G in Iran.

It seems clear that Iranian services generally, especially Aparat, benefit from filtering and content prioritization agreements that could be said to violate net neutrality principles. From a particular standpoint, many individuals do not understand the importance of net neutrality, making it much easier to ignore from a legal standpoint in a place like Iran. Our government needs to be able to help and support its viewpoints through the Iranian national internet. Being able to boost websites that share some of the same views and goals as the government needs to be kept lawful and constitutional.

The main stance that most countries will be taking this conference will be that of freedom: one that supports net neutrality. The delegation from Iran will be taking the opposite stance from the one previously listed. We will work to fight net neutrality and to allow companies to do as they please with their services.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Iraq
Delegate Name: Emma Alzner
School: Mattawan High School

Many modern societies rely on the internet to function, and the world wide web has become one of the largest industries in existence. Because of this, Iraq recognizes that the issue of net neutrality is a pertinent one not only to itself but to countries around the globe. The issue of net neutrality impacts every citizen's’ access to the resource of the internet and the quality of said access. There has been significant debate over internet equality and rules regarding the policing of this entity, and Iraq is prepared to take all sides of this argument into consideration and forge a compromise that will benefit all nations represented at the United Nations SciTech committee.

Iraq recognizes the humanitarian aspects of this issue, in that all citizens should be provided with equal access to the internet, and equal quality of access, regardless of their income/ability to pay, race, religion, gender, etc. Iraq also acknowledges and accounts for the United Nations decision to promote net neutrality, and the decision of the FCC to enforce net neutrality laws in different nations.

However, taking into consideration the oppressive war the country is waging against the terrorist group ISIS, Iraq also sees how policing the internet could be beneficial in aiding the demolishment of this group, specifically from the key battleground of Mosul. Iraq notices that research has been done showing that cutting off the terrorist stronghold in Mosul from internet access by policing the internet would weaken the group, and provide the forces fighting ISIS with an advantage that could help them win this more and ultimately eliminate this threat to innocent civilians internationally. Because ISIS relies so much on the internet as a resource to recruit others, spread propaganda, and keep control of their territories, Iraq recognizes that taking away this resource from this group could bring a downfall to the terrorists that have been causing destruction and devastation worldwide.

Taking all of this into consideration, Iraq concludes that a compromise must be made that will enforce internet equality among citizens, but also allow the country to protect its people from the harmful terrorists by removing ISIS access (specifically within Mosul) to the internet. Iraq suggests that all nations should be encouraged to promote net neutrality, but be given the opportunity to decide their own laws on net neutrality, and how they would like to enforce this within their own borders. Iraq is eager to work with all nations and take all perspectives into consideration to cause the emergence of a compromise that will favor all countries. Iraq calls for the allegiance of all countries oppressed by ISIS to join them in taking all advances they can to annihilate this group, including cutting them off from internet access, and seeking a resolution on net neutrality that would allow them to do so.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Ireland
Delegate Name: Benjamin Oostendorp
School: East Grand Rapids High School

As the Internet continues to grow, perhaps the biggest threat to its free and open nature is the loss of net neutrality. This issue is relatively new, especially within Europe. The European Union first discussed the need for legislation mandating network neutrality in November of 2007, however they made little progress on the issue, merely concluding that companies couldn’t discriminate in an anti-competitive manner between customers. This certainly did not ensure net neutrality within Ireland or Europe. Then in 2009, the European Union established the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications, to better promote cooperation between national regulatory authorities. This more focused group passed the first EU rules surrounding net neutrality on June 30, 2015. These new regulations ensured that net neutrality was maintained throughout the European Union.

Ireland had the world's 7th fastest average Internet connection in 2011 at a speed of 24.2Mbps and continues to rank within the top twenty countries with the fastest internet connections. We also continue to advocate for net neutrality within our borders and beyond. Ireland is very much in support of the European Union’s recent advances towards net neutrality throughout Europe, because we believe in the value of keeping Internet access and speeds as quick and as equal as possible in order to harvest the globally unifying benefits of the Internet. Net neutrality and open access are perhaps the most crucial aspects of preserving the Internet's free, equal, and collaborative atmosphere. Censorship and regulation will only inhibit the Internet’s progress and alter the fundamental principles behind its success.

Current law preserving net neutrality in the United States and in the European Union should be used as a model for a global solution to this threat. The United Nations is perhaps the farthest-reaching governing body in the world, and we must come together against threats to the Internet’s integrity like large Internet providers. Ireland hopes to discuss the most effective and ethical ways to mitigate this threat, while still recognizing instances when it would be responsible to constrain the privacy and impartiality of the Internet.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Israel
Delegate Name: Charlie Uchno
School: Roeper School

Israel believes that net neutrality is crucial to the wellbeing of both the Israeli people and the Israeli government. In 2011, Israel required net neutrality in mobile broadband, and has since extended this benefit to wireline providers as well, ensuring that Israel’s internet can not be overrun by those whose economic advantage allows them to take dominion over its network. Without net neutrality, international trade could be inhibited, with some companies having more success than others simply due to their nation's unrestrictive stance on net neutrality. Additionally, without net neutrality there is no level playing field for competing companies, leading to monopolies, and potentially, internet baron takeovers. This could lead to the blocking of certain websites or extra fees for higher quality internet signals. Therefore, for the personal freedoms of our people, Israel believes that moderate net neutrality is a necessity.

That being said, security is and always has been at the forefront of Israel’s national and international agendas. Israel believes the internet should be monitored carefully by the national government, watching for threats to our national security in any form. Leaving the internet out of the government’s control leaves the opportunity for attacks of terror or other coordinated violence, issues which are especially pressing to Israel due to its location. The Israeli people have always been willing to sacrifice personal conveniences for the sake of national security, and selective discrimination in our government's monitoring of the internet is simply another case which demonstrates this. More nations should take it upon themselves to protect their people first, and provide extraneous benefits second. Therefore, aware of the dangers that we are constantly surrounded by, Israel feels that governmental selective discrimination for security purposes in regards to internet access is the best compromise for our nation.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Italy
Delegate Name: Matthew Russell
School: Williamston High School

Net neutrality is a recent issue which has arisen in part due to the widespread use of the Internet. Net neutrality is referring to a neutral Internet in which service providers would not be able to place certain restrictions on some sites while giving advantages to others in the form of faster loading times and related things. Some service providers as well as commonly used sites are trying to “privatize” the Internet. However, many smaller websites have argued against this as they believe it would dampen what the Internet has become. These smaller organizations and websites believe that the Internet should be an even playing field for all businesses and websites on the Internet. They argue that the main reason why the Internet should be kept neutral is that it allows for competition as well as keeping the Internet is a place for people to express their ideas.

In the resent past Italy has done some work to prevent the privatization of the Internet including a recent bill which proposed to not allow service providers to allow some sites faster loading and other sites not so much. However, this bill would also allow people to this such as allowing service providers to dedicate more messaging on an individual basis with the customers. This would allowing individuals to be in control of their site speeds if they so choose.

As far as police Italy would look favorably upon resolution in which companies would not be able to privatize the Internet as to allow an even playing ground to encourage the growth of business, putting protection of small scale sites as this would allow an even playing gowned. Italy would expect support from Slovenia as well as the Netherlands along with other European nations who would not like to see the privatization of the Internet.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Japan
Delegate Name: Jasmin Cambri
School: Grand Blanc High School

Net neutrality is the the principle that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites. Many arguments in favor of net neutrality say that it is useful because it allows for more freedom of surfing the web, corporations have less control of the internet, the government will not be able to control a person’s data use, and that smaller sites will work just as fast as other larger internet service providers (ISPs). Currently Japan has been introduced to the idea of net neutrality and they will take a co-regulatory approach. Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has a hands-off approach towards this issue.

For many first-world countries, the issue of net neutrality has been discussed for the past two decades, since the start of the explosion of internet usage and highly innovate telecommunications. The idea of net neutrality sparked up because of the issue of larger, more dominant corporations having more control of how fast their sites will run, compared to smaller, less-dominant sites. There has even been a Net Neutrality Law that has been introduced that states that the regulation of internet speeds is necessary and that common carriers are important to allow smaller sites the fair advantage to have speeds be as fast as larger internet carriers.

Japan already has a common carrier. Their largest phone company, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, also has a service that provides internet over their high-speed Internet Connections. Japan’s fast-pace and growing technological industry will be highly affected by the idea of net neutrality. Since Japan has already made the transition of having a common carrier, then we urge more countries to make this transition as well. There are instances when there are peaks of high-internet usage traffic and this is to be expected. However, there are some instances that having a common carrier is useful and that this common carrier gradually does increase in speed, so previous issues should not be a bother. From our country’s experience, the law of net neutrality among developed countries should be implemented, and for the developing countries, net neutrality will allow the new and upcoming entrepreneurs to have the same speed of access compared to larger, more dominant corporations.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Lebanon
Delegate Name: Sam Noonan
School: Forest Hills Central High School

As our world relies and focuses more and more on the Internet as a means of communication, source of information, and more, it is growing more important to regulate Internet traffic and create a suitable online atmosphere; the World Wide Web must lie within a balance of free speech and lawful interaction. Lebanon believes that libel directed at politicians and government officials will lead to a clouded view of the Lebanese government.

Lebanon believes that freedom and equality on the Internet is a very important thing to preserve, so long as it does not pose a threat to order and everyday life. Internet was introduced into Lebanon in 1991, and as it continues to grow Lebanon feels that large and small companies should have equal opportunities for business activities such as advertising. Having fast and slow lanes that provide better, faster internet for large corporations that can afford it is not a fair internet. Lebanon believes that by not allowing these “lanes,” it will encourage startup business and discourage monopolies.

Citizens of Lebanon have the right to free speech, so long as it does not disrupt civilian life and does not influence voting. Freedom of the press is valued highly, however defamation against the head of state, foreign leaders, or other individuals will remain illegal conduct. Lebanon believes that communication and discussion through the internet is an important factor of free speech, but it is important to regulate what exactly is being communicated; Lebanon’s laws against defamation and libel hold true online as well. Net neutrality must hold true and not favor large corporations over smaller businesses, and as long as free speech follows Lebanon’s laws, it opens up a fair and free web.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Libya
Delegate Name: Michael Lu
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

Net neutrality is the idea that all information on the internet should be treated equally, regardless of the source. As the internet becomes more integrated in society, without a well-defined set of rules there is a risk of data interception, cyberattack, censorship, and providers intentionally favoring certain institutions. Today, there are cases involving government institutions spying on users, censorship, hacking, and massive corporations paying providers to manipulate their users into using their service. In 2013, the NSA in America was discovered to be spying on internet users without their consent, and the Chinese government has been censoring the internet since its introduction in the late 90’s. The biggest blow to net neutrality happened in 2014 in Verizon vs FCC, where the D.C. District Court turned down net neutrality rules by the FCC under the basis that it was specifically built on a flawed legal system, allowing corporations and government entities to have free reign over the internet. Net neutrality exists to “preserve the Internet as an open platform enabling consumer choice, freedom of expression, end-user control, competition, and the freedom to innovate without permission,” and as the internet becomes larger and larger, it is important to protect the rights of its users under net neutrality.

The Libyan government supports this idea of net neutrality since it allows the natural right of freedom of speech, but they believe that censorship is necessary if the content is somehow dangerous the public. They would like to impose certain restrictions on net neutrality while still supporting creative liberties. In the civil war between the Libyan Government, anti-government militias, and terrorist groups, it is important for the country to stay strong and unified, therefore websites that fuel this conflict will not be tolerated. Rivaling militias have been sabotaging telecommunications, and several of 350 towers have been targeted, making internet unreliable and expensive. Because of skyrocketing prices, internet is limited to the elite, with only 17.8% of the population having access to the world wide web at an average speed of 0.5mb/s. Since internet is not widely available, the voices are exclusive only to those who can afford it. Websites are littered in propaganda for the different warring factions, and finding any neutral sources concerning current events is nearly impossible, with the number one source being Facebook. Because of internal conflict and the desire to unify the country, the Libyan government deems silencing individuals who pose a threat against us and our people necessary. While Libya approves of freedom of expression under net neutrality, they cannot allow the voices of the privileged to drown out the rest of their citizens during the civil war.

Unless the United Nations can provide even more assistance in quelling the civil war and rebuilding the country, Libya will be unable to completely comply net neutrality since enemies of the state are taking advantage of the internet to further their own goals. The freedom of expression is highly valued, but Libya finds that it simply provides too much of a threat for its people and government. Therefore, Libya proposes to impose reasonable restrictions upon net neutrality. Nearly all data should be treated the same, but like how freedom of speech does not pardon a man yelling “fire” in a crowded theatre, if the data in particular somehow endangers the country, the Libyan government should have the right to take it down without question.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Malaysia
Delegate Name: Carter Wade
School: Roeper School

Malaysia is becoming more and more involved with the information age. Several companies, based upon the development of technology, such as Intel, Microsoft, and Dell, now operate in Malaysia. The internet is a tool possessing an unfathomable amount of power. It is able to provide, store, and monitor all of the data in the global community simultaneously. Despite the extensive power of the internet, it has vulnerabilities. Among these weaknesses is internet service providers throttle the internet's ability to allow data flow. In the worst case for private consumers, data for their most frequently used sources will be slowed, allowing the internet service providers to inflate their prices to reopen the services that the consumer had all ready. Another weakness, or strength, depending on an individual's perspective, of the internet is that, unlike in real life, there is no such thing as being untraceable nor is there an analogue to distance whilst online. This enables anyone to gain access to sensitive information on any individual or organization at any time, in any place, and for any reason. Hackers is the term given to individuals whom open electronic locks, whether they do so for purposes of personal gain or for the betterment of society. The group of "white hat" hackers in the world hack for the betterment of society. These white hat hackers may accomplish their goals by exposing security threats in an organization's electronic infrastructure. These white hat hackers may also stop terrorist attacks by halting communications between terrorists or by passing information gained by intercepting communications on to security forces, such that security is always prepared for terrorist threats. The "black hat" hackers can tear down society by opening breaches in governmental security, aviation security, space technology, and anything else that is attached in some way to a network.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Mexico
Delegate Name: Hunter Harloff
School: Mattawan High School

Approximately 50% of Mexico’s citizens utilize the internet, and growth is surging at the current time. That said, Mexico does not have infrastructure as strong as most developed nations; accordingly, our network speeds and data processing capabilities are subpar in comparison. Crime, mainly pertaining to drug trade, is prevalent in modern day Mexico, and the internet propagates these crimes by enabling communication for dangerous criminal kingpins. Nonetheless, Mexico possesses a deeply rooted respect for its citizens and the liberties they possess, and as such, Mexico strongly believes that net neutrality is something that must be upheld and protected.

In the past, Mexico has passed legislation upholding this viewpoint. Specifically, the recently composed Federal Telecommunications and Broadcasting law declares access to the internet as a human right and establishes a strict net neutral standpoint to ensure this right. Among Latin America, this stance on net neutrality is unprecedented and undoubtedly serves as a step in the right direction. Citizens deserve the right to browse the internet without fear of governmental interference or corporate abuse.

In resolving this issue, Mexico holds firm that any solution involving the removal of a citizen's access, or ease of access thereof, is a step in the wrong direction. Such implications are mostly derived from the removal of net-neutrality on a corporate basis; as a result, Mexico is strongly opposed to any suggestion that ISPs are granted the right to filter connection based on what should have been net-neutral data. Censorship is not the way forward in a modernizing world and restricting net neutrality propagates maleficent governments that have held back humanity for millennia.

Instead, Mexico believes the correct way to address this issue is to promote a neutral online space where governmental and corporate censorship is at a minimum and free speech reigns supreme. To accomplish this, we must follow Mexico’s president and focus on establishing the internet as a fundamental human right.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Morocco
Delegate Name: Stevan Popovic
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

With nearly 75% of the world population having access to the internet, it is critical to ensure that all of its users have the ability to voice and share opinions. However, certain circumstances bring complications to the idea of internet freedom. In some places where propaganda and radical ideology can be spread easily; I believe it is in our best interest to implement a system of control to areas of high risk. It is also in our best interest to create a system of blocking dangerous sites without creating a loophole where undictated censorship can occur. Net neutrality, by definition is; the principle that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites. While I do not believe complete internet freedom would be the greatest option, I do believe that the idea of net neutrality should be the foundation to any policies having to do with usage of the internet.

Within Morocco; radical rebel movements pose more threat than the spread of radical religious views, with the complications within the western Sahara, sites relating the rebel movement (polisario) have been removed from accessibility. Also sites contributing to defamation of the royal family have been blocked, as these are likely to be stemming from the polisario movement.

As stated earlier we hold Internet neutrality in the highest regards and feel that it should be the foundation for any policies regarding to internet safety. I also believe it is in the best interest of our country (The Kingdom of Morocco) and the entirety of the UN to take in regard how dangerous internet sites can be when building policies. The Internet can be used to spread information and voice opinions, but can also be used as a tool to spread radical ideology and terrorism. As these issues not only effect your country, but your neighboring countries. Please also take into consideration that selective removal of sites is absolutely not a way in which unjustified censorship can occur.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Netherlands
Delegate Name: Faith Schafer
School: Williamston High School

One of the issues regarding today’s internet usage is fairness, and how fair internet services are in providing the same services to everyone on every website. Net neutrality laws help to create an environment where everyone can have access to quality internet services without discrimination. It also creates a greater force of competition within internet-servicing companies, therefore helping the economy. Some countries are concerned about whether net neutrality laws will lead to danger on the internet, but others say the freedom of the people is important, and troubles will be less likely to happen with safer and higher-quality internet service that can detect every possible problem. Net neutrality is a highly debated issue, and it is up to the United Nations to decide how we will use it amongst the countries of the world.

The Netherlands highly values the use of net neutrality on the internet in their country and all across the world. Being the first country in Europe and second in the world to put a net neutrality law into action, they value fairness in the way that web services in their country are run. Many other successful and influential countries, including the United States, have net neutrality laws and enjoy fast and quality Internet service for all members of their country. The law set by the Netherlands requires that all public electronic distributors that provide internet services cannot slow down any service for their customers. This has lead to quicker internet services and more satisfied people within their country. Partly because of this law, the internet service within the Netherlands is considered one of the world’s best, and countries with similar laws are all high on the list as well.

The Netherlands wants to have this law become more widespread than it is now. They believe that net neutrality is the key to internet freedom, where everyone can enjoy the same rights. The topic was brought up to the European Union, but the members voted against it. The Netherlands hopes to be a model for all other countries to follow, so that eventually, all people will have equal access to the internet and companies will not slow down their services on certain websites, but continue high-quality service for every customer on every website. The Netherlands is willing to work to resolve the issues and problems put forward by concerned people, and to increase competition amongst Internet-providing companies through new net neutrality laws on a global scale. With new advancements across the world, laws can be made to keep people safe on the internet and provide the same high-quality services to everyone on every part of the World Wide Web.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: New Zealand
Delegate Name: Emerson Byrne
School: Fishers High School

New Zealand, as a first world country and as an avid supporter of human rights and human equity, believes in the fair and equal ideals of net neutrality. The nation of New Zealand believes that internet service providers should not limit, restrict, influence or prioritize any online actions from any site. The nation further believes that there should be no discrimination between any and all forms of online traffic.

With internet usage becoming more and more common, and with more people coming to heavily rely on this resource, we believe it is in the common interest of all users to have unrestricted usage over their internet service; and if it is a service that must be paid for, then doubly so. Net neutrality is also necessary to protect the rights of the individual citizens of a nation. For example, the Republic of China has heavy restrictions and limits on the usage of internet within the nation: they restrict what can be searched, what can be obtained, and what can be sent to the outside world. This is a massive invasion of privacy, and a major restriction of the principle of free speech. If net neutrality were to be enacted throughout the nation of China, and other nations that allow internet providers to discriminate against the various forms of traffic, the citizens of those afflicted states would have be granted the civil liberties they were previously deprived of.

The nation of New Zealand would like to suggest that every nation within the UN and even those outside of it, every nation with working, public internet access, should follow the guidelines and directives set by the principle of net neutrality; it is imperative to maintain the basis of net neutrality. The delegation of New Zealand would also like to strongly urge nations that are already supporters and enforcers of net neutrality to work together to make a more concrete platform for net neutrality; to rally support for net neutrality; to encourage nations and states that have yet to adopt net neutrality to choose to support it instead; and to discourage the actions of nations that allow for restriction of internet services or perpetuate the restrictions themselves.

The internet is the fastest growing technological achievement of mankind, and in this rapid, constantly changing world the internet is one of the most powerful resources at our disposal. We as a whole need to ensure that all can use it effectively and efficiently, and we as members of the United Nations need to reach a consensus that safeguards the individual rights of the people and allows for free, unrestricted usage of the internet for whatever purposes. If we truly believe in upholding ourselves to the highest standards and constantly improving the living conditions for others, then the decision for a neutral, non-discriminatory internet should be a clear and unanimous decision.

Sources:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nz.html

https://internetnz.nz/news/net-neutrality-now-little-bit-more-neutral

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/81120320/Explained-the-net-neutrality-court-decision

Myself

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Nigeria
Delegate Name: Mark Sanchez
School: Mattawan High School

Nigeria feels that the internet has become more and more of a global issue as it is more widely used by the general public. While the internet originally served more use to the military sector than the public sector, the internet has become much more significant to the public in the past few decades. Due to this, the internet has become a near basic necessity in countries. Because of this, cheap and unrestricted access should be provided universally to the public.

The source of controversy revolving around to topic of net neutrality comes back to the amount of restrictions placed on the information that is available to the public. At its core, a system with perfect net neutrality would have no restrictions placed on any sort of information in the internet. Obviously, that system would not be beneficial to the international community. In reference to topics such as terrorism and copyright infractions, certain restrictions must be placed for the purpose of securing national security, as well as limiting loss of economic prosperity. As Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Hon. Dr. Ibrahim Shehu Gusau calls for industry regulators to fashion new ways on how net neutrality could affect Nigerians, especially as it relates with the Internet, so as to have a defined reasonable traffic management policy dealing on all the associated concerns arising from net neutrality with its attendant usurping of services to end-users in the country.

To solve this issue, Nigeria would like to see an international effort to eliminate malicious uses of the internet, such as terrorism, while providing measure for economic prosperity. In addition, Nigeria would not approve of biased or weighted information allowed on the internet, nor an inclusion of a system in which information could take precedent over other sources with payment to the providers of the information. A failure to secure provisions previously listed could result in the degradation of the international community. In summary, Nigeria hopes to establish a system in which light restrictions are placed upon net neutrality.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: North Korea
Delegate Name: Anthony DePerno
School: Mattawan High School

Since the birth of the internet, there has been much debate regarding control over the internet. Likewise, there is as much debate to if there should be control and regulation regarding the average Joe’s access to the internet. Net Neutrality is the idea that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should enable equal access to all content and applications regardless of the source. This

would mean that copyright holders would have no way to block unauthorized transmission of their content, parents would have no ability to see what their kids are doing online, and most importantly, governments would not have the ability to monitor the internet for possible domestic or foreign attacks.

In the thriving nation of The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, we take pride in the ideas of equality and freedom for all of our citizens. While this is true, the safety and overall well-being of our people and our nation come first. The idea of Net Neutrality is a plague that needs to be eradicated. This creates a free roaming and unrestricted internet. The effects of an internet without regulation would be potentially disastrous. While the elimination of Net Neutrality does infringe on the rights of the people of our state, shouldn’t any good citizen be willing to give up just a little bit of their privacy for the overall good and national security of the Republic?

With the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s influence in the SCITEC committee, we hope the obvious solution to this issue comes prevails; slash the idea of Net Neutrality in favor of a regulated and safer internet for all.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Norway
Delegate Name: Akansha Das
School: Forest Hills Central High School

With the fairly recent rise of the internet and world wide web since the 1990’s the world has been introduced to an endless amount of opportunities for communication information and globalization.However this rise has also led to obvious concerns about security and equality for users, of which net neutrality concerns itself with the equality portion. Countries now have the option of exposing their country to internet and a variety of new sources. When exposing their country to the internet however they bring in internet service providers who have very widespread control and who have been known to have many controversial marketing strategies. Countries must monitor or put in place some sort of regulations but must not appear to pressing. Rather Norway’s multistakeholder model provides an effective source for maintaining the goals that the Norwegian government believes make the Internet equal.

Norway´s 3 general guidelines adopted in 2009 strive for equal usage of the internet by service providers and equal access for customers. Norway began its voluntary adoptions by saying that users deserve to have a connection of predefined capacity and quality that sets a fair base for what customers internet usage and gives no lenience to specialized services. Secondly users must be able to ¨send and recieve content of their choice use services and run applications of their choice connect hardware and use software of their choice that do not harm the network.¨ These regulations directly support net neutrality and don't discriminate against customers based on device used or content streaming. Finally Norway claims that the internet connection ¨is free of discrimination with regard to any type of application service or content or based on sender and receiver address¨ Norway is in direct support of net neutrality with all 3 of its voluntary guidelines for private companies cable providers and internet service providers.

In addition to the above policies Norway has adopted a multi-stakeholder model that much more flexible and inclusive for interested parties. Parties interested in net neutrality can give input and help in the decision-making process. In this model all interested parties(whether it the service provider, the cable company, or the government) work together and come with guidelines-not laws-that are inclusive and flexible. It is an excellent balance between consumer input and government control and service provider profitability .This way the government avoids regulatory mistakes and the regulations can be rapidly changed in a world and generation in which new technological discoveries and the extent of the capabilities are developing by the minute. It has been known to expose Internet service providers engaging in “unsavory practices” and provide direct communication between customers government and service providers so they can strive towards a better and more equal internet. Norway has experienced little to no violations of its policies.

In conclusion Norway firmly believes that global net neutrality is a very real possibility. Norway hopes to meet with countries that have adopted similar models of multi stakeholder governance(Sweden and Denmark) and further goals of global net neutrality with them.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Pakistan
Delegate Name: Zaid Haque
School: Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy

In Pakistan, the term net neutrality is used by a handful of people of digital industrial bodies. Since 2009, Pakistan has had no legislation about the Internet due to the expiration of the Prevention of Electronic Crime Ordinance. Parliament is drafting a new legislation that could take place next year, discussing the integration between net neutrality and security.

Pakistan is willing to work with other nations on net neutrality. Being a country that has many people who do not have access to the Internet, our government is is working to provide our citizens Internet with the ability to use it to their expense. The new legislation passing through has brought concerns about security and fraud that can occur on the Internet. Under the ministry, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority dictates the Internet and intends to promote and clean friendly environment that allows competition and protects the consumers. Sites are closely monitored to protect citizens. As Pakistan’s use of the Internet has increased from the early 2000’s, more citizens are creating and innovating sites that allow freedom to all.The nation of Pakistan also stresses that security should be enforced among the website to prevent copyright and piracy.

Due to the influx of Internet users, Pakistan is still undecided on allowing net neutrality in our country. The nation of Pakistan would be in favor of a resolution that contains clauses that will allow freedom of innovation,creative thinking, and economic growth, yet still maintain security and a government’s ability to act in its nation’s best interest.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Panama
Delegate Name: Calum Spoelma
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

Coined back in 2003 by media law professor Tim Wu, net neutrality in today’s day and age is considered by many to be incredibly important. Net neutrality: the principle that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites. Discrimination on the net whether it be by protocol, IP address or network is still a form of discrimination. Since the Internet was created, net neutrality has remained a core democratizing, yet polarizing, feature. Considered by many to be a form of speech, the absence of net neutrality would therefore be a violation of that right. Moreover, large web companies such as Google and Facebook would never have been able to reach where they are today without the aide of a neutral net. Additionally, providing a level playing field for competing companies, net neutrality promotes fairness in capitalism as well.

Despite the that fact that access to the Internet is not a public utility, the Republic of Panama encourages net neutrality. Additionally, as supporters of freedom of speech, we therefore also support net neutrality, as it is freedom of speech on the web. The Republic of Panama likewise does not place any government restriction on access to the Internet. The Internet, being a forceful device can be dangerous if placed in the hands of the wrong individuals or corporations. If certain groups are prioritized above others it would be unfair and would lead to an oppressive Internet. Although less than half of our population has access to the Internet, the Republic of Panama encourages member nations to draft a favorable position on net neutrality understanding that those who do have access should be treated equally and fairly.

The Republic of Panama reiterates our support of access to an open and free Internet. We again call upon all members to unite and adopt a comprehensive plan that will allow all citizens to benefit from an open and free Internet. Furthermore, we collectively need to find better ways to block harmful forms of communication yet not limit other speech. The Republic of Panama wishes to push this point forward as it is all our responsibility to protect the rights of the free world.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Philippines
Delegate Name: Seth Lemke
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

The internet is dope. You can use it to find out just about anything. Ever hear of The Anarchist Cookbook? A simple google search will send you into a rabbit hole of education teaching you how to make everything from home brew illegal drugs to explosives and homemade napalm. Although we do not support the use of drugs or weaponry, It’s crazy to think something so destructive can be found so easily on the internet, but that’s the beauty of the internet. Nearly everything is on it.

When it comes to Net Neutrality our big focus has been freedom online. You can log into your Tumblr account and post a blog protesting the Philippines and we won't kill you because of it. We believe in freedom online and we want to keep the internet as free and safe as possible. When we passed the Magna Carta for Philippine Internet Freedoms ( or #MCPIF) we ensured a ban on Internet censorship and Data discrimination.

We believe that Net Neutrality is important, and that it should be promoted enthusiastically. Everyone should have That being said, we still want to keep the internet a lawful place. No crime, No terrorism, and nothing of the sort. We will run the internet to be a place as that is as lawful as possible. No longer is the internet like the Wild Wild West. No Human Trafficking, No Hate speech, no porn, and especially No child porn, Etc. Keep the internet free, and keep the internet safe.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Portugal
Delegate Name: James Schafer
School: Williamston High School

The largest issue concerning the Internet is net neutrality around the world. Net neutrality requires that the Internet be maintained as an open platform, on which network providers treat all content, applications and services equally, without discrimination. This also means that network providers cannot slow down or speed up select people’s Internet. Currently, there is a divide between whether or not governments have a right to intervene or even whether or not the Internet is considered to be a human right. There are both ends of the spectrum with the U.S. having extremely tight regulations ensuring equality for everyone or Australia having none. “The open Internet has fostered unprecedented creativity, innovation and access to knowledge and to other kinds of social, economic, cultural, and political opportunities across the globe. Today, this open Internet is endangered by powerful service providers seeking to become gatekeepers who decide how users can access parts of the Internet”. There must be an agreed consensus on whether or not net neutrality is important enough to enforce.

Meanwhile, Portugal has great interest in resolving this matter of net neutrality because Portugal wishes to have more network companies while still keeping our people safe. Being one of the major trade partners around the world as well as interconnected countries to the international community, we would like to see net neutrality prevail to keep our people connected. Currently, we have adopted the EU’s Telecoms Single Market regulation recently passed. Unfortunately there are a few loopholes in the regulations so more will need to be added. Before these regulations, there were no rules or guidelines before.

Portugal would propose to resolve this issue by leading countries to follow in the United States footprints in heavy regulations to have all of its partners on the same page with resolve on net neutrality. We would like to use the combined diplomatic pressure of the member countries to influence other nations to adopt strict regulations so everyone can enjoy a free Internet. Since every country must decide for itself, there is no guarantee it will work. Portugal would expect to find allies in major supporters of net neutrality such as the U.S., Canada, India, Japan, and Brazil.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Romania
Delegate Name: Kara Yeomans
School: Forest Hills Northern High School

With a new age of technology advancing at a rapid rate, the Internet has become a global tool that every country in the world uses. As the age of the Internet rises, net neutrality has become a vital global issue that needs to be addressed to continue to ensure and preserve open internet to citizens without censorship, discrimination or interference. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) first announced its support of net neutrality in 2003, with Chile becoming the first country to impose net neutrality laws in 2010. Anti-discrimination laws aims to prohibit Internet providers from blocking, slowing down, or speeding up internet content based on the owner or source of the information, excluding harmful websites that contain malware, pornography, etc. A part of net neutrality’s legal background addressed the common carrier and its role in the Internet; a common carrier (a person or company who shuttles information from the net to the consumer) cannot refuse the service due to the goods themselves or the people who are receiving them.

Romania is the second poorest country in the EU, with only 60% of Romanians using Internet daily. Yet for all their poverty, in 2015 they remain the fastest internet in Europe, the 10th fastest in the world with top downloading speeds up to 58.7 Mbps, more than twice as fast as the U.S. Cost of internet is only $0.71/Mbps in U.S. dollars, with only Bulgaria and Russia topping the prices. As the country lacked major companies such as AT&T to provide internet access, the country’s own entrepreneurs have stepped in, creating localized networks that provide the services to communities as small as a few block. In 2015, this unique isolation, much like the “divide and conquer” strategy has produced staggering results of at least 100 Mbps speed within 16 % of the neighborhood networks. Towards the end of 2013, fixed broadband covered 97 % of homes in Romania, 78 % in rural homes.

The first ever net neutrality rules were adopted on October 25, 2015. Following the adoption EU adoption of the Regulation (EU) 2015/2120 position on November 25, 2015, the open internet rules will apply starting April 30, 2016. Before in 2012, the Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications (BEREC) stated that between 21% and 36% of internet access subscribers were affected by blocking or throttling depending on the type of application (e.g. Voice-over-IP, peer-to-peer traffic)”. The UN’s position on net neutrality also agrees to and supports the freedom of speech and access to information that the EU’s net neutrality rules strive to achieve. These new laws may be able to set an example to other countries on more fair ways to approach net neutrality and expand on the modern day facets of freedom of expression.

Both the EU and Romania promote this equal traffic to not allow better Internet access to be gained through extra payment. Romania and the EU itself supports net neutrality: Romania believes that they should continue to have access to high speed, high quality Internet. In doing so, this will help eliminate obstacles our consumers face in when obtaining internet access. As of 2015, clear net neutrality laws at the EU level have not been nailed down. Our citizens are left vulnerable with uncertain rights and little legal protection in the access of open internet: in the worst case scenario, allowing a business such as Comcast to suffocate smaller businesses and make their services inconvenient could eventually lead to the death of free speech on the web. Although open internet is a priority, censorship when addressing crimes such as pornography must also be considered and supported. Romania wishes to continue to retain their fast, cheap internet, proposing net neutrality laws to preserve open internet and protect their country’s local network system against discriminatory laws that favor controlling businesses from wealthy powerful countries.

Main Sources:

1. European Commission

2. Digital Single Market

3. EUROPA

4. United Nation News Center

5. Wikipedia

6. Insider Romania

7. Motherboard.vice

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Russia
Delegate Name: Samuel Mendoza
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

Until the 1990’s, the Internet was not a prevalent civilian telecommunications network. When the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) passed the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITR’s), these regulations were broad in their terminology in order to cover a wide spectrum of telecommunications technology. However, these regulations are not law. They were agreed upon at an international conference and states have no penalties for noncompliance. Now that the Internet has progressed to its current level of infrastructure and penetration, these regulations must be updated to specifically regulate the Internet and include penalties for states that do not comply with these regulations. The Russian Federation believes that regulations should be put into to place that both standardize international internet regulation and allow governments to block content that threatens their citizens or country.

The Russian Federation has a regulatory body responsible for the internet and other mass communications technologies called Roskomnadzor. This body prevents harmful web content from appearing to our citizens, such as extremist support, child pornography, and illegal copyrighted materials. We do this to prevent harm to children who stumble across this dangerous content and, in the case of extremist support, we mean to prevent any such support in the Russian Federation. Roskomnadzor has been incredibly effective in preventing this content from being accessed by our citizens and the Russian Federation hopes that this organization can serve as a model to other countries who are crafting their own similar regulatory bodies. While some countries, such as the United States of America, see these actions as repression of free speech, the Russian Federation is protecting its citizens. We firmly believe that the internet can and should be regulated by governments in order to prevent terror, access to pirated content, and child pornography.

With this in mind, the Russian Federation recommends that the ITR’s be swiftly updated to include regulations that govern individual methods of telecommunication so that each method can be properly controlled. In the case of the regulation of the internet, we recommend that the ITR’s include protections for governments who choose to protect their citizens from dangerous web content. Finally, the Russian Federation recommends that the ITR’s become not just a set of regulations agreed upon at a conference with no penalties for noncompliance, but a set of regulations enforced by the United Nations in order to better serve the international community.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Rwanda
Delegate Name: Andrew Lehman
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

Our country ,Rwanda has 8.7% of its population exposed to internet access according to a survey in 2012.

I believe this is a problem because Rwanda needs more internet access. The idea of an "open Internet" is the idea that the full resources of the Internet and means to operate on it should be easily accessible to all individuals, companies and organizations. Rwanda has had problems with hate among ethnic groups and open internet connections would allow them to have communication This often includes ideas such as net neutrality, open standards, transparency, lack of Internet censorship, and low barriers to entry. The concept of the open Internet is sometimes expressed as an expectation of decentralized technological power, and is seen by some observers as closely related to open-source software, a type of software program where the maker allows users access to the code that runs the program, so that users can improve the software or fix bugs in the connection. We in Rwanda need an open internet after the connections are established and running.

This is not a major problem in terms of Some free internet is provided in the capital but none in the rural countryside where the majority of population calls home.We may need to censor hate speech so another genocide is not sparked online. Every 8 in 100 Rwandans is able to get online but approximately 55 out of every 100 have cellular phones .We in Rwanda need an open internet after the connections are established and running. With such a high school net attendance rate at 91% internet would directly affect education effectiveness and extend the capabilities of our classroom learning. We as the Rwandan government can keep trying to establish more wifi connections considering we have 95% of our country with a cellular reception.

My proposition is to ask for other countries to help us establish a connection so we can use it for recreation and education for a brighter future. We are slowly gaining access but it’s going to take a while to reach satisfying percentages of internet penetration for this developing country.The actions we can take are limited but follow as asking our allies for assistance or aid in the establishment process. Though we do have a 91% school attendance rate nationally we believe our children should learn these ways so we can set up business for the future. Essentially we want to be in the next ten years sending our Rwandan tech gurus to help stabilize the rest of Africa in terms of internet.

Sources

Unicef

CIA fact book

All Africa

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Saudi Arabia
Delegate Name: Alex Brinker
School: Royal Oak High School

Net neutrality is the concept that everyone has a right to all information on the internet, unmonitored and unrestricted. Everyone can see everything.

Saudi Arabia does not support the U.N. Policy on net neutrality. It is the belief of Saudi Arabia that the government should step in and regulate the internet to better protect the people.

It is the Sovereign right of our country to be able to regulate what things are seen by our people such that no harm is brought to the nation. In a world where information is abundant, it is not necessarily good information. Sometimes it is better to prevent people from seeing things that would be detrimental to them. 69.6% of people in our country use the internet. Almost 7 out of 10 people could potentially cause a problem. Just as you might Look up a topic, some external person could easily see what you are doing as well. In the event we're such topic is highly personal or extremely important to the government we need to be able to know what the other person has had access to, to bring the perpetrator to justice. Expanding on that this could be very useful to help prevent terrorism. New regulation and observation it is possible to gain information about terrorist groups and movements. Saudi Arabia would much rather be able to find these groups and shut them down before they can strike.

If the problem can be prevented before the problem even begins,is that not a measure worth considering? Net neutrality is not just a violation of a nation's sovereignty but it is also a sign that nations are not doing everything they can to ensure the safety of their nation.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Senegal
Delegate Name: Zoe Atkins
School: Grand Rapids City High School

There is no question that the internet is now crucial to progressing in the modern world. The internet provides valuable resources and knowledge that allow people to make informed decisions in their daily lives. It connects people across land and cultural barriers. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent issues far away become relevant to everyone. The Internet serves as a space to enable collaboration that creates solutions to those issues. The delegation from Senegal recognizes the importance of net neutrality, with reservations. It is imperative that the internet remains a free space, without bias toward any group, to ensure the realization of its full potential.

Although the Internet is still a relatively new phenomenon, upholding our fundamental values and principles of morality should be viewed as a priority. Now, more than ever, the right to privacy should be protected. Despite the major technological advances we have made as a race, parts of the world are still in the dark. Senegal supports the principles behind net neutrality but has determined that they must be sacrificed in order to guarantee its citizens access to the information they need.

Senegal has been a strong ally for all human rights and the promotion of peace, tolerance, freedom, and better living conditions. However, the most pressing problem facing the world today is the lack of assistance to developing countries. Facebook’s recent program, Free Basics, is at work to change this. Free Basics has been a pioneer for improving the living conditions of the people of Senegal by providing access to the internet. Free Basics, also known as Internet.org, has established services that promote safety and health. Specifically, the people of Senegal have benefited from resources such as BBC News, BING, UNICEF, Ebola Info, Facebook, UNICEF Facts for Life, Girl Effect by Nike Foundation, and Malaria No More. Free Basics is now found in 53 countries and municipalities. Although it has received criticism for violating the policies of net neutrality Senegal stands firmly in support of it. Senegal has seen, firsthand, the improvement it has brought to many lives. We believe that the right to Internet outweighs the potential consequences of the violations of net neutrality. To continue providing for the people of Senegal and the other fifty-three countries that are benefiting from this program, Senegal will not support net neutrality. A solution to the lack of internet access needs to be addressed prior to that of net neutrality.

Senegal will continue to fight for the basic human rights that have shaped its actions in the United Nations. In the words of Mark Zuckerberg, “connectivity is a human right,” and without Free Basics Africa would still be denied this right.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Serbia
Delegate Name: Veronica Gilbert
School: Grand Rapids City High School

Currently in Serbia Our Stance on Net Neutrality is against the plan. As of right now our government feels that the main principles of our nation relies upon an infrastructure that is developed around trust and respect for each individual citizens therefore we are looking to updating availability for people using the internet so that everyone has access to the world wide web, and allowing internet providers to monopolize the industry so that our government will get money to help reconstruct the infrastructures of our society like getting mobile access for all in our county. The current internet providers in Serbia are Google and AT&T. We believe that as a nation these carriers provide information that is relevant and useful for our citizens to hear. To further our countries awareness of global issues we are trying to bringing internet access into every household. We believe that the citizens only need relevant information that will help the wellbeing of our country.Also we believe that opposing net neutrality will help our economy improve substantially because we will be able to advertise certain products to benefit Serbia. For example advertising a certain Serbian product online to promote business so citizens don't buy from foreigners and the money would circulate back into our economy. Additional we don't believe that at the moment our technology databases are as mature as they should be for us to advance in this field. To complete this statement we feel that as the Serbian Delegation that the Net Neutrality Plan would not be beneficial for our nation to pursue as of know, but once we update and advance our internet systems we may consider the possibility of the Net Neutrality Plan in the future.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Singapore
Delegate Name: Tyler Clifton
School: Royal Oak High School

Net neutrality is an idea set in motion in order to protect the internet from companies jacking up rates on businesses using their internet. Our committee must discuss how to iron out the Internet so that big companies don’t take over and the internet can stay a free public space for all. To elaborate if businesses were to have free reign than certain websites could be blocked, slowed down, or consumers directed towards different websites which would give companies a monopoly over the internet and people wouldn’t be able to access everything, restricting use of the internet and turning it into exclusively a business thing

Singapore has very strong net neutrality rules in place to protect the consumer whilst also keeping the businesses semi happy.

Singapore also won’t be affected because the framework that’s been set up is. Singapore won’t be affected harshly because their laws are strict enough to keep the businesses in check so that the consumers aren’t in danger of having rates jacked up, or slowing down certain websites so consumers have to go to different ones while also being loose enough that businesses aren’t failing in singapore.

As for other countries and resolutions, Singapore suggests doing the Balancing Act that we have done. What we’ve done is set up a framework that is able to keep both sides interests intact so as to keep the consumers and internet secure while also keeping the businesses profitable.

In conclusion, keep it so that businesses have enough freedom to stay profitable but not completely shutdown the internet to the mass public.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Somalia
Delegate Name: Jake Wilcox
School: Royal Oak High School

We the people of Somalia bring you our opinion on the topic of net neutrality here today. In somalia we do not have many internet capabilities but we have some. Representing somalia here today we would rather focus our time and resources on rebuilding our own country’s economy and government. We would however like to see a expansion on developing internet in countries that don't have the capabilities to expand their own.

In committee we would like to have many things answered. Our first concern that we would like fulfilled is the fact that many countries don't have internet and how will we as a committee work to expand internet coverage. Another concern of ours is how we will work towards allowing country's national sovereignty while keeping the rights of internet providers.

Furthermore we would support resolutions that helped us expand our internet coverage in our country. Due to the fact that only 1.15% of the people in our country have access to the internet we would like to expand our internet coverage but we would much rather focus our time on fixing our broken government or economy as well as fighting Al Qaeda. We would be open to resolutions that promote the fighting of al qaeda using cyber attacks and electronic weapons.

In summary we would like to find resolutions that expand the internet capabilities of less devolved nations and resolutions that expand that as well as resolutions that use electronic weapons and cyberattacks to attack false states like Al Qaeda.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: South Africa
Delegate Name: Sam Meyer
School: Kalamazoo Central High School

Since the creation of the internet, and its growth in strength and popularity, it’s become the world’s largest tool for individual work and entertainment. Along with access granted to the public comes commercial gain; the ability that commercial services have to restrict users through monthly fees and blockage of sites is a occurring problem. South Africa’s Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) believes discrimination should not feature in the country’s online or real-world environments.The Internet was born neutral and that single most important founding principle should always be top-of-mind.

In South Africa’s opinion net neutrality indicates a functioning democracy. Incorporating the broad principles of net neutrality centered on the non-discrimination of Internet traffic.The Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services promotes a open internet policy: “All Internet traffic must be treated equally, without discrimination, restriction or interference, regardless of the sender, receiver, content, device, service, or application.” In a world focused around globalization: the sharing of ideas and culture, the censorship of any information is a crime against human rights in a democracy.

As the development of South Africa continues, we see the human rights being a priority. We rely on Net neutrality to be a symbol of a successful state. We are willing to work with neighboring states when it comes to regulations and security with net neutrality as long as our citizens have equal access to the internet. States that don't not have a democratic regime should still have net neutrality.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Spain
Delegate Name: Qusay Omran
School: Forest Hills Northern High School

A free and open internet is an inalienable human right. Given the immeasurable benefit that access to the world wide web provides, it is imperative that all people have the opportunity to connect to the internet. This does not only mean that people should have the physical capital, such as computers or smartphones, to access the internet, but also that that access is not limited in any way. We must ensure that internet service providers do not throttle internet speeds, discriminate among consumers, or extend any unfair advantage to any party.

As part of the European Union, Spain is committed to the Digital Single Market, where the freedom of movement of services and business online is guaranteed to all citizens of the European Union. In keeping with that spirit, Spain is dedicated to maintaining an open internet. Spain believes that every individual has the right to access and distribute any content found on the internet, provided they are not copyrighted restrictively. Anything in the public domain on the web may be shared by any individual, and that right shall not be infringed.

One of the world’s largest international telecommunications corporation, Telefónica, acts as the main internet service provider for most people in Spain. It currently controls over 40% of the telecommunications market share. Despite owning that substantial of a portion of the market, Telefónica is regulated to maintain a flat rate, conforming to the principle of non-discrimination. It is not allowed to censor any content, as per Spain’s commitment to freedom of speech and access.

The internet must be open and unlimited. In the end, Net Neutrality is about freedom. It is the freedom to access, the freedom of speech, and it is the freedom to pursue one’s maximum potential, and no one may impose any limits on those freedoms, no matter who they may be.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Sweden
Delegate Name: James Aidala
School: Forest Hills Central High School

Ever since the Internet’s invention in the 1960s and subsequent development and proliferation of devices that can make use of it, the Internet has become an extremely used tool for anything from information to data hosting to worldwide communication. 9,216,226 people in Sweden currently use Internet as of 2015. With this explosion of Internet use, the market has sufficed to fill the demand. However, with advancements in Internet use, such as voice calling or social networking, some companies have been wanting to prioritize traffic over others or charge for voice services. This issue has become known as Net Neutrality, debating whether companies have the right to prioritize certain traffic over others or if they should be mandated to be impartial.

Sweden has no specific laws mandating or forbidding net neutrality, though companies tend to be neutral due to the competitive nature of the market and social pressures. However, recent zero-rating deals have garnered little response from Swedish officials, including a recent major deal between major ISP Telia and Facebook. The deal is being investigated by the Swedish government, but other deals are left unchecked. In contrast, the majority party of the Swedish parliament and Government, the Social Democrats, are heavily in favor of competition and innovation in the market. In addition, the majority of the Swedish MEPs are of the Socialists and Democrats party, who are in favor of fair competition and small business growth and are in favor of consumer access to all of the Internet. Net neutrality allows for open competition and innovation as it enables smaller startups with pioneering ideologies to receive as fair a chance as major companies e.g. Facebook or Twitter.

The European Union, of which Sweden is a member, recently adopted a new set of regulations regarding net neutrality, enforcing that companies should not be able to artificially control speeds. In late August of this year, BEREC, the EU regulatory body of the Internet, tightened loopholes regarding fast-lanes and zero-rating deals. It is being praised as a major victory for net-neutrality advocates. In relation to Sweden, 63% of Swedes would vote to stay in the EU if given the chance to leave, according to a Novus poll, up from 32% in June. Also, in the following month of Brexit, confidence in the EU surged from 38% to 48%. In short, Sweden will be staying in the EU for a long time and its support is rising. Also, Sweden’s high dependence on imports and exports with EU member states (5 of 9 of its top import and export partners are EU members) are a driving motivation to stay. These factors combine to compel Sweden, in addition to domestic sentiment, to abide by and implement EU resolutions.

Conclusively, Sweden, recognizing the importance of fairness and competition on the Internet, not to be disturbed by corporate interest and monopoly, shall advocate, with all intents and purposes, to preserve and implement net neutrality across the UN.

Works Cited

"Digital Union | Socialists & Democrats." Digital Union | Socialists & Democrats. Socialists & Democrats, 2016. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.

Gordon, Jonathon. "Now Sweden Stirs up the Net Neutrality Storm." DisruptiveViews. Pricing Data Plans, 13 May 2016. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.

Münch, Merlin. "Do as the Swedes Do? Internet Policy and Regulation in Sweden – a Snapshot." Internet Policy Review. Alexander Von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, 10 May 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.

"Näringspolitik Och Konkurrenskraft – Www.socialdemokraterna.se." Www.socialdemokraterna.se. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.

Samuels, Gabriel. "Swedish Support for EU Membership Surges following Brexit." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 14 July 2016. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.

"Sweden Internet Usage, Population and Telecommunications Report." Sweden Internet Usage, Population and Telecommunications Report. Miniwatts Marketing Group, 6 Dec. 2015. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.

"Sweden." OEC. Observatory of Economic Complexity, 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.

Toor, Amar. "Europe's Net Neutrality Guidelines Seen as a Victory for the Open Web." The Verge. Vox Media, Inc., 30 Aug. 2016. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.

"The World Factbook: SWEDEN." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2016.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Switzerland
Delegate Name: Patrick Gleaton
School: Kalamazoo Central High School

Since the creation of the internet there have been restrictions on what can be seen and what can’t be. Recently people have been pushing for net neutrality which is the principle that internet service providers and governments should treat all information equally by not discriminating or charging fees based on user content or site. We Switzerland feel that people should not be restricted by the government online.

In our support of this cause we have created a code of conduct that allows users to use the content, services applications, hardware, and software of their choice. This action has been put into effect in Switzerland and received positive reinforcement. Many UN members such as Chile and the US have also pushed for net neutrality and have had very successful results. In Chile the law passing net neutrality was overwhelmingly voted in. In the united states case the law has proved very popular with applications like Netflix bringing in more content that was previously not allowed by the government.

Switzerland feels that all country’s should introduce net neutrality into their society’s. If the UN can convince it members to embrace this law rather then deny it maybe then people can in certain country's country's can actually find out what happened on June 4th 1989. Or that the fact that some people believe that the Holocaust was a hoax. The entire purpose of this law is to enlighten people. The last time governments tried to restrict peoples flow of knowledge the enlightenment occurred. When all is said and done governments should listen to the lessons of the past. Net neutrality is not a bad thing.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Syria
Delegate Name: Vipul Adusumilli
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

Net Neutrality is the principle that all data should be treated equally, neither interfered with nor advantaged in any way. It is about internet freedom and rights. For example, it doesn’t offer faster transmissions for Netflix videos than it does for those from Amazon Prime. The global interest in the U.S. net neutrality debate has little to do with fear that reclassification of broadband as a telecommunications service will enable a U.N. takeover of the Internet or make it easier for China and Russia to censor and control online content. Rather, other countries are watching because the precedent we set here could influence whether and how foreign governments choose to protect net neutrality at home. They want to know: Will the United States continue to be a leader in protecting a fundamental piece of the open Internet — the right of users to freely access the content of their choosing online — or not? And they understand that the word "telecommunications" has a specific legal meaning in the context of the U.S. net neutrality debate. Reclassification does not amount to a blank check for foreign governments hoping to impose international regulations on the Internet, which the United States government (along with advocates of a multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance) will continue to defend against long after the FCC issues final rules.

The war in Syria has devastated our telecommunications infrastructure and disconnected around two-thirds of the country from our Syrian internet service providers (ISPs). As a result, internet access has become highly decentralized with some relying on WiMax microwave links from Turkish cities or pooled satellite connections serving cybercafes.Our country's telecommunications infrastructure is one of the least developed in the Middle East. The broadband connections are among the most difficult and expensive to acquire. We are working with the internet providers to make it better. We are monitoring the internet and blocking certain websites that may cause harm to the people. By the end of 2014, the International Telecommunication Union reported that 28 percent of Syrians had access to the internet, up from 17 percent in 2009.The number of fixed broadband subscribers remains small at 1.68 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, while mobile phone penetration was 71 percent, up from 56 percent last year. The Syrian Electronic Army (SEA) is targeting Syrian opposition websites and Facebook accounts, as well as Western or other news websites perceived as hostile to the Assad regime. the Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (STE), also serves as an ISP. Private ISPs like Aya, as well as mobile phone internet providers, are required to sign a memorandum of understanding to connect via the gateways controlled by the Syrian Information Organization. In Russia and China net neutrality is enforced by laws.

As Syria we believe that the internet should be monitored and surveillanced. Our ally Russia also agrees with us on the stance. It helps protect privacy. Since our country's telecommunications is one of the least developed, we believe protecting people's privacy is helpful. Our cybercafes due to that reason are monitored as well and text messages are also monitored. We would offer having some internet restrictions for the safety of the people.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Turkey
Delegate Name: Humza Nadeem
School: Forest Hills Northern High School

Net neutrality is becoming a growing issue as time goes on. The issue being whether to censor things on the internet or have "net neutrality" which is the idea that the internet and everything on it are open to the public. Except things like malware, plots to go against the government etc. The FCC or the Federal Communications Commission first was debating on supporting net neutrality or not for a decade, but in 2003 it was announced that the FCC would support net neutrality.

Turkey is a country in Asia considered a developing country, it's certainly not a third world country, but not quite as developed as a first world country either. The university of Harvard describes Turkey's status as an emerging economy and a growing nation. The average download speed in Turkey is 7.8 Mbps while the average upload speed is 1.7 Mbps. Compared to the EU the internet is slow and very expensive. Since the country lacks service providers such as Verizon or AT&T, the countries own service providers is what people use, those are E- Kolay, Kaynet, Superonline, and Ttnet. The most popular one and the one used the most is Ttnet. Even so, their internet is still slow.

Net neutrality has been an issue discussed in the Turkish government, though Turkey however, has decided to oppose net neutrality. They don't believe in open internet, they still want all their consumers and everyday people to see what the government wants to see. The new law states, "“from now and on be used for political reasons to block access to so called damaging videos or to block access to leaked documents.” The government will also seek to shutdown hackers who want to break the firewall and gain access to open internet to sell to people for money.

Most Asian countries generally don't support net neutrality. So for Turkey to debate and to conclude that there cannot be net neutrality isn't that unexpected, even though they are the "bridge" between Asia and Europe, most of their country is in Asia anyway so they aren't as effected by the EU. The people of Turkey though already believe that the world cannot move forward without advancement of technology as it isn't possible. The public has gained access to VPN's and securing encryption in their communication. There is already some strong feedback about the internet in Turkey and how their are people who are either hybrid when it comes to having open internet or not.

Main Sources:

https://policyreview.info/articles/analysis/internet-censorship-turkey

https://www.opendemocracy.net/opensecurity/jussi-parikka-burak-arikan/turkey%E2%80%99s-new-internet-law-policing-online-mall

https://www.glica.org/topics/show/185

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293974-i368-k1578963-How_would_you_classify_Turkey-Istanbul.html

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Uganda
Delegate Name: Angela Miller
School: Williamston High School

The Internet has been around in one form or another since the 1960’s. Net Neutrality became a problem for many countries once it was introduced to the public. It became a problem because everything was at your fingertips and people can put themselves out there for anybody to see. This is also a worldwide problem because the government has access to everything you look up and this violates people's rights to privacy.

Uganda has had problems with cyber crimes since citizens started using the Internet. These cyber crimes which include fraud lead to many people being mistreated or put in harm's way over the internet. Uganda has established cyber security laws that keep people safe while in use of the internet. Uganda has a program called the Uganda Internet Governance Forum which helps with issues with internet security such as child protection. Uganda's main focus is keeping its citizens safe while in use of the internet.

Countries should pass laws that protect people's personal rights but keep them safe. The Children's Rights Act was passed in Uganda, this law protects children not only on the internet but also in everyday life. Laws passed should include government’s not being allowed to go through someone’s history, unless they are believed to be a threat to the country. The government should also have the ability to block all things that can or will lead to putting someone in danger. All in all the government should have the ultimate power to determine if something on the internet is a danger to someone in that country and be able to remove it from the internet.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: United States
Delegate Name: Jared Johnson
School: Forest Hills Central High School

With the fast pace of technology, and the benefits people have with said technology, such as online purchasing, communication, and entertainment; it is important to understand that the internet should be accessible to everyone. The United States of America believes that the internet should not be restricted or censored to people who want to spread ideas, communicate, and express themselves. “We believe that access to knowledge and information is a basic human right and that there isn't a sovereign right to override that basic human right.” (Daniel Sepulveda). On February 26, 2015 the FCC ruled that both fixed and broadband service companies are not allowed to throttle, block, or create “fast lanes” in order to influence the people’s access to the internet. The FCC passed this ruling because the US believes that the internet should be for the people and everyone should have a right to it. Open internet also benefits the global economy, contributing to over $141 billion dollars annually and creates 6.6 million jobs for the United States alone. In order to maintain global trade, countries must not put up digital barriers that would harm open internet. Net neutrality is a tool to promote communication, collaboration, entertainment, and business globally; that is why the United States believes that the internet should be able to access for everyone in order to make a more progressive, wealthier, and understanding world.

Sources

Federal Communication Commissions. N.p., n.d. Web.

"Inside Economic Diplomacy." U.S. Department of State. N.p., n.d. Web.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Uruguay
Delegate Name: Alexis Jones
School: Vicksburg High School

Over the course of the past decade, the call for internet regulations and control has become more demanding and necessary, not only to regulate content, but to protect consumers from discrimination. People rely on the internet to get the majority of their information on essentially anything and everything. But with certain internet providers, many people are denied the broadband access. It is the United Nations obligation to make sure that every person under the same service provider has the same equitable access to internet. Yet, there is always the issue with money, establishing the divided line between developed and undeveloped countries, that raises issues pertaining the quality, availability, and affordability of internet. Also there is the undeniable fact that each country has their own cultural identity and to respect that, a potential resolution to the issue must be flexible to respect each country’s individual governance.

Uruguay, compared to other South American countries, is relatively more developed in telecommunications, and although the system is government-owned, there has been conflict in partially privatizing the network. Uruguay is involved in many organizations regarding net neutrality, one being the Frente Amplio (The Broad Front). Frente Amplio is a South American organization that identifies equitable access to internet, stating that “the pluralism and diversity of the media system is an indicator of development given its high impact on the strength of the democratic system and promotion of an informed public.” Although supporting this statement, it raises tension in the Uruguayan communication system, because of the situation that they are under. Many large businesses in Uruguay own networks in commercial television and internet and have taken over the Uruguayan news agenda and communications . Uruguay is looking for a resolution to address this issue, along with the other issues in Uruguayan communication networks regarding cost, addressing security concerns among stakeholders, along with the lack of jurisdiction and risk of balkanization, and maintaining a sustainable public-private sector to ensure continued growth in internet, not only for the Uruguayan network community, but for other countries as well.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Venezuela
Delegate Name: Peter Van Es
School: Mattawan High School

In a world dominated now by digital consumerism, information, and, restrictions need to be put in place. The internet is a dangerous idea, and the fact that anyone, anywhere, can say what they want, where they want, and how they want, only proves the point. The limitless information that can be accessed is dangerous for all of us. That is why the glorious Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela wishes to convey to this United Nations assembly that the idea of Net Neutrality cannot exist in today’s world. Our citizens are very important to us; we cannot risk their safety by enacting Net Neutrality. The Internet has grown to the point where we as a nation must, unfortunately, censor certain websites to prevent the disobedience and disavowment of our laws, and to prevent civil unrest. More Venezuelans have access to the Internet than ever, necessitating the need for restrictions for their protection. However, the Internet obviously exists outside of Venezuela as well. Nations that support Net Neutrality support increased freedom on the Internet, yes; however, by supporting this unrestricted access. they also support the hijacking of their citizens’, or even their government’s, information by hackers, terrorists, or anyone that knows how to use a computer. In addition, when the government of this hypothetical nation allows unrestricted access to the Internet, it becomes a hotbed for controversy, radical, and dangerous ideas that can affect the unity of the nation. In Venezuela, we have had to take drastic measures from restricted access to full out censoring certain media outlets that spread this sort of discord. Venezuela looks forward t discussing our views with similarly-thinking delegates from around the world.

Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Vietnam
Delegate Name: Calvin Watry
School: Roeper School

Net neutrality is defined as all data is treated equally, and not changed or used to an advantage. This means that all data has the same level of suppression no matter what type of information it is. Net neutrality is a very difficult goal to achieve because it may upset the people if the nation would set all strict laws on how people use the internet in that country, or if the nation establishes unstrict laws on everything on the internet that could and most likely will lead to a very important security breach online.

Vietnam does not believe in net neutrality. The government should have a right to decide what is allowed on the internet in the respective country. Suppression also allows for the government to know exactly what is happening on the internet and can track and stop threats a lot easier if they have full access. Suppression on the internet is a must and net neutrality would mean getting rid of suppression which is very dangerous. This would result in an increase of cyber terrorism threats, and/ or other issues that would be considered as bad or worse than that.

In conclusion, Vietnam believes that the government should be able to pick things out of the internet that is considered as a threat and to do this there must be suppression. Net neutrality would only make things very hard for the government to stop threats before they become more than threats.