I wrote this post for Free Speech Debate on what I could glean was the impact of the ITU’s World Conference on International Telecommunications, held in December in Dubai. I argue that while the media presented the ‘breakdown’ of the talks as a fracture between Western democracies (notably the US) who support free speech and Eastern states who wish to control communications, experienced observers saw a set of worries emerge about the long-term consequences of having the US manage internet governance – including the return of the Clinton paradox where internet freedom is guaranteed in one sphere while reduced in another.

Thanks to Free Speech Debate for the chance to write this.