WASHINGTON-Consumer advocate and failed presidential candidate Ralph Nader last week called for the creation of a world consumer protection organization that would be similar to the existing World Intellectual Property Organization but “more democratic.”
Nader said the WCPO would be able to negotiate international treaties on consumer protection.
“Are we going to be left with self-regulatory so-called standards by individual companies or by trade groups? Are we going to be left with the Better Business Bureau advertising review inquiries as the last resort instead of the first resort? … If you look at the situation worldwide, corporations are working overtime through WIPO, the [World Trade Organization] and other systems of international governance that are anti-democratic, autocratic, closed and not accountable to the public,” said Nader.
Nader made his proposal as he participated in a National Press Club event on “The Consumer and the Web: What’s next?” Nader later told RCR Wireless News that his organization, essential.org, is working with the TransAtlantic Dialogue through its consumer committees to lay the groundwork for the WCPO.
“Some of the consumer groups don’t want to go that aggressively. They want to work on the edges,” Nader said.
In addition to Nader’s proposal, the NPC panel discussed general fraud and privacy on the wireless Web.
“We are at the very beginning edge of mobile. … It is going to be incredibly critical that the protocols that are set up by the wireless community have the right kind of security aspects built in,” said Dave Allison, worldwide director of IBM e-business strategy.
On the other hand, Piyush Gupta does not believe the issues for the wireless Web are different than the wireline Web.
“Mobile is a simple matter of programming … fundamentally it doesn’t create any new issues,” said Gupta. He is the chief executive office of LiquidPrice.com, an online auction house.
On the privacy issue, Nader proposed a comprehensive Internet privacy bill. “We need a stand-alone bill with thorough hearings,” said Nader ,noting the bill had to be done right the first time because once legislation is passed, the issue of Internet privacy will not be dealt with by Congress again for several years.
