Ottawa’s lack of support for Montreal bid for global Internet conference is a win for autocracy

News Snapshot:

Canada had a chance to bring the world’s foremost meeting on internet governance to Montreal, inviting a global who’s who of digital-technology expertise and free-expression advocacy to talk about preserving an open cyberspace. But the Trudeau government did not even bother submitting a bid. Instead, the 2024 meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is heading to authoritarian Saudi Arabia. Canadian companies say the decision is a missed opportunity, while international advocacy groups say it is an alarming win for autocracy. The IGF is the United Nations’ main organization devoted to internet governance. While it is not a regulation-making body,...