Joint hearing planned on international Internet regulation

Two House subcommittees will hold a joint hearing next month to examine international efforts to regulate the Internet. Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), chairman of the House subcommittee on Communications and Technology, told reporters that his panel will hold the hearing on Feb. 5 with the House Foreign Affairs Committee's subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade. Chairman Walden said he is "very concerned" about the outcome of the International Telecommunications Union conference in Dubai last month. He said the hearing will examine "what the American policy should be going forward to make sure the Internet is free from legacy regulation and from countries that have a different view about democracy and freedom."