World Summit on the Information Society kicks off

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) has opened today in Geneva, charged with setting a global perspective on ICT development but the summit has already been overshadowed by political spats.

The summit brings together governments, businesses, the UN and the man in the street and aims to hammer out a general agreement on ICT strategy and then put a plan of action in place. While the summit's statement of intent - centred on using the digital revolution to bolster economies in the developing world - is all sweetness and light, the reality hasn't quite lived up to the dream.

Among the disagreements marring the start of the summit is a dispute over who should run the internet. Some countries, including open source fan Brazil and tech tiger China, would like to see governing body Icann, which currently regulates areas such as domain names distribution and IP addresses, is heavily US-dominated.

The anti-Icann countries would prefer to see the internet in the hands of an intergovernmental group, perhaps to be controlled the UN. It's a suggestion that hasn't found much favour with the US and its cohorts, who are more than happy with the net's status quo.

The possibility of having to make a decision on the issue has been sidestepped, however, with UN secretary general Kofi Annan charged with convening a working group to discuss the matter.

China had also tried to water down a declaration by the WSIS supporting freedom of expression and the press. The country has jailed several dissidents found criticising the ruling Communist party over the internet.

Another bone of contention is the oft-discussed 'digital divide' between the world's tech haves and have-nots and how to close the chasm.

While global governments have been very keen to shout about their devotion to getting ICT equipment and access into the hands of the developing world, when it comes to putting their money where their mouth is, the reaction isn't so overwhelming.

Discussions about setting up an international fund, pushed for by some African nations, to allow the purchase of ICT equipment, didn't go down well among the richer nations, who said they didn't think another separate fund would achieve anything.

The International Telecommunication Union has another take on how to bridge the divide, however, putting the onus on a change in government thinking to get things moving.

The fourth global symposium for regulators has prepared a best practice document to be delivered to the summit, demanding that politicians should stop seeing ICT as a money-spinner for themselves and more as a tool for development. Among the measures on the table are technologically telecoms neutral licences and better broadband enablement.

The WSIS will reconvene for a second phase in Tunis in 2005.