Tag Archives: Morocco

Can Morocco Earthquake Seismic Wave Card Hack Your Phone?!

Can the Seismic Wave Card containing photos of the recent earthquake at Morocco hack your phone?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Morocco Earthquake Seismic Wave Card Can Hack Your Phone!

This warning about the Seismic Wave Card containing photos of the recent earthquake at Morocco has gone viral on WhatsApp:

They are going to upload some photos of the Moroccan earthquake on WhatsApp. The file is called Seismic Waves CARD, don’t open it and see it, it will hack your phone in 10 seconds and it cannot be stopped in any way. Share the information with your family and friends.
DO NOT OPEN IT. They also said it on TV

他们将在WhatsApp上上传一些摩洛哥地震的照片。该文件称为地震波CARD，不要打开或看到它，它会在10秒内破解您的手机，并且无法以任何方式停止。与您的家人和朋友分享信息。
不要打开它。他们还在电视上说过

Truth : There Is No Morocco Earthquake Seismic Wave Card!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and here are reasons why…

Fact #1 : There Is No Seismic Wave Card!

First, let me just point out that there is no such thing as a Seismic Wave Card.

The Seismic Wave Card is an Internet hoax that keeps getting recycled for every earthquake that comes along, like these examples show:

They are going to upload some photos of the Cariaco earthquake on Whatsapp. The file is called Waves Seismic CARD, do not open or see it, it will hack your phone in 10 seconds and it cannot be stopped in any way. Pass the information on to your family and friends. DO NOT OPEN IT. They also said it on TV.

They are going to upload some photos of the Calvario earthquake on WhatsApp. The file is called CARD Seismic Waves. Do not open them or see them, they hack your phone in 10 seconds and it cannot be stopped in any way. Pass the information on to your family and friends. Don’t open it. They also said it on TV.

Fact #2 : Photos Are Shared Directly On WhatsApp

There is no need to open any file, or install any app, to view photos on WhatsApp. You simply click to view photos shared by other people on WhatsApp.

Of course, people may sometimes share high-resolution photos in ZIP or RAR files, because WhatsApp greatly reduces the resolution of photos shared on its platform.

Those ZIP or RAR files may be opened using apps like WinZip (Android | iOS) or RAR (Android) or Unarchiver (iOS). However, you should be wary if you are asked to download and install any app.

Unless you know what you are doing, it’s best to only view photos and videos directly inside WhatsApp, and not download any compressed files at all.

Fact #3 : Seismic Waves Card Is Not A Browser Hijacker

Seismic Waves Card appears to be falsely labelled as a browser hijacker by at least one “cybersecurity” website:

The scam message known as Seismic Waves Card is notorious for its disruptive behavior while surfing the web. Generally, scams like this, and other like Mintnav and Lookaside fbsbx, are crafted to meddle with your browser’s settings, replacing homepages and default search engines to promote affiliated sites and generate advertising revenue.

This transgression doesn’t end here; they siphon sensitive data and create vulnerabilities in your system’s security framework, providing a gateway for more perilous threats, such as malware and phishing schemes, to invade.

The protracted presence of Seismic Waves Card in your system exponentially escalates the risk of serious compromises, emphasizing the dire necessity for its immediate removal. Recognizing the malicious potential of such unwanted apps is essential in maintaining a secure and safe digital environment. Stay vigilant and prioritize your cybersecurity.

There is no evidence that a malware or browser hijacker called Seismic Waves Card exists. The article itself does not offer any evidence to prove its existence. In fact, the article and its guide on how to “remove” the malware appears to be generic, and may possibly be AI-generated.

Fact #4 : Image-Based Malware Is Possible, But…

Digital steganography is a method by which secret messages and other data can be hidden in digital files, like a photo or a video, or even a music file.

It is also possible to embed malicious code within a photo, but it won’t be a full-fledged malware that can execute by itself.

At most, it can be used to hide the malware payload from antivirus scanners, which is pretty clever to be honest… but it cannot hack your smartphone by itself.

Fact #5 : Image-Based Malware Requires User Action

In January 2019, cybercriminals created an online advertisement with a script that appears innocuous and would pass any malware check.

However, the image itself has an “almost white” rectangle that is recognised by the script, triggering it to redirect the user to the cybercriminals’ website. Once there, the victim is tricked into installing a Trojan disguised as an Adobe Flash Player update.

This is an incredibly clever way to bypass malware checks, but even so, this image-based malware requires user action.

You cannot get infected by the Trojan if you practice good “Internet hygiene” by not downloading or installing anything from unknown websites.

Fact #6 : Malicious Code Executes Immediately

If you accidentally download and trigger malware, it will execute immediately. It won’t take 10 seconds, as the hoax message claims.

There is really no reason for malware to wait before it infects your devices. Waiting will only increase the risk of detection.

Whether the malware serves to take over your device, steal your information or encrypt it for ransom, it pays to do it at the first opportunity.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Assassin’s Creed Chronicles : How To Get It FREE!

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Assassin’s Creed Chronicles – a collection of three Assassin’s Creed games – is FREE to download and keep for a Limited Time!

Find out how to get them FREE, and tell your friends!

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Assassin’s Creed Chronicles

Expand your Assassin’s Creed experience and discover the forgotten stories of three remarkable Assassins in brand-new settings with fresh 2.5D stealth gameplay.

Play the adventures of three cult Assassins

Each chapter comes with a unique hero and a new setting all interconnected through a common plot that will only be revealed at the very end.

This bundle includes Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India, and Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia.

Stealth in a new dimension

Experience the thrill of being a master Assassin in 2.5D. Sneak and hide to avoid detection and fool enemies using whistles and disguises.

Experience a fast & fluid “assault course”

Whether you’re running from danger, negotiating obstacles or stealthily climbing you will truly feel the freedom of moving as an Assassin.

Master three different combat styles

Each chronicle comes with a different assassin equipped with a distinct range of weapons and gadgets.

Navigate multiple planes

Switch between environmental layers and choose the right path according to your needs.

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles : How To Get Them FREE!

Make sure you follow these steps to get this game for FREE for a limited time, for five countries (so far) – Romania, Bulgaria, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

Go to the Epic Games Store.
Log into your Epic Games Store account, or create a new account.
Go to the Assassin’s Creed Chronicles page in the Epic Games Store.
Check to make sure it’s free for your country.
Click on the Get button.
In the checkout page, click Place Order.

That’s it! It is now added to your Epic Games account, and you can download and install it anytime after this.

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Did EU Torture + Kill Hundreds Of African Refugees?!

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Did the European Union torture and kill hundreds of African refugees?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : The EU Tortured + Killed Hundreds Of African Refugees!

The Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP (Chinese Communist Party) netizens are sharing a picture of African refugees apparently lying dead, together with this message.

This is massacre within NATO and European Union borders. African immigrants are being tortured and killed in numbers to prevent them from seeking refuge in Europe. This is not for Ukrainians. Do you remember how they treated Arabs and other Asians? Recorded 100 deaths yesterday alone.

For those who condemn Russian actions to restore equality and humanity across the globe let them think again.
Please share it widely and quickly before the West (read the WORST) remove this video from their Facebook.

Truth : The EU Did Not Torture + Kill Hundreds Of African Refugees!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and shared by pro-CCP netizens and websites, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : The Incident Happened In Africa, Not Europe

The viral photo was not taken in Europe, but in Morocco, Africa, of what is now known as the 2022 Melilla Incident.

The 2022 Melilla Incident occurred on Moroccan soil, at the border fence separating Morocco from the autonomous Spanish city of Melilla.

Fact #2 : 2,000 Migrants Attacked The Border Fence

On June 24, 2022, about 2,000 African migrants attacked and tried to break through the Melilla border fence.

Security forces from both Morocco and Spain tried to disperse them, but ended up fighting them for two hours.

Fact #3 : Hundreds Of Migrants Did Not Die

The wumao claim that hundreds of refugees died is easily proven false.

Several refugees died in the stampede when they stepped on each other while trying to flee, while five fell and died trying to scale the fence. In the end…

At least 37 migrants died
At least 63 migrants were injured
Two Moroccan gendarmes (police officers) were killed
140 Moroccan officers were wounded, five seriously
49 Spanish Civil Guards were lightly injured

The wumao intentionally used a picture that shows most of the migrants lying down, instead of other pictures that show them sitting down after being detained.

While it may look like the migrants are dead, they are very much alive. If you look closely at the viral photo, you can see some of them sitting up.

Fact #4 : Individuals In The Photo Were Detained, Not Killed / Tortured

The wumao took the picture from Association Marocaine des Droits Humains – Section Nador (AMDH Nador), and edited out their watermark, so you cannot find the original post.

They did that to avoid people finding out that the migrants in the viral picture were not killed or tortured, from the AMDH Nador’s post :

They are currently in custody at Nador central police station. Given the large number of detained migrants and the heavy charges they may face prosecution, AMDH Nador wishes to mobilize more lawyers to defend them and ensure fair trials.

Unfortunately for them, I managed to trace the source of the viral photo, although the Rafah / Pafah Orient bus in the photo threw me off for a while.

Fact #5 : Moroccan Authorities Were Responsible

The wumao also did not want you to find out that it was the Moroccan authorities that were responsible for tackling the refugees that day.

If you traced the photo also posted a video showing part of the migrants’ effort to storm the Melilla border fence, in which they stated that the Spanish authorities just “quietly observed” the Moroccan authorities at work :

The video that shows it all. At the moment when the Moroccan authorities were playing the role of gendarme by prohibiting asylum seekers from arriving in Melilla using very violent practices, the Spanish authorities crossed their arms and quietly observed that they getting the dirty job done.

Fact #6 : China Wants To Divert Attention From Xinjiang

The wumao is creating fake news like this, not just to support Russia, but also to divert attention from its oppression of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang.

No, it’s not all kumbaya in Xinjiang, no matter what pro-CCP netizens keep claiming. That’s just Chinese propaganda.

Fact #7 : This Is Chinese Propaganda

This is really nothing more than yet another example of Chinese propaganda created by the infamous Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

All of the wumao articles that I looked at so far have proven to be false… at every instance. So please watch out for such false claims.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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WHO Convenes Emergency Meeting On Monkeypox Outbreak!

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The WHO has convened an emergency meeting on the monkeypox outbreak that has spread to 56 countries!

Here is what you need to know…

WHO Convenes Emergency Meeting On Monkeypox Outbreak!

On 23 June 2022, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus convened an emergency committee meeting under Article 48 of the International Health Regulations to discuss the current monkeypox outbreak.

Chaired by Dr. Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele and Dr. Nicola Low, this emergency WHO meeting on monkeypox is only open to members and advisors of the Emergency Committee.

The findings of this emergency meeting would be conveyed to the Director-General of WHO, on whether the outbreak should be classified as a public health emergency of international concern, and also on potential recommendations on how to address it.

This meeting comes as an NGO called World Health Network (unrelated to WHO) issued a press release describing the current monkeypox outbreak as a “pandemic”, urging “immediate and effective action” from country and global health authorities.

This led to a bit of confusion, as their names and acronyms were similar (WHO vs WHN). To be clear, WHO has not declared a monkeypox pandemic.

Read more : What You Must Know About Monkeypox!

Over 4,000 Monkeypox Cases Confirmed In 56 Countries!

Discovered in 1958, the first human infection was only reported in 1970, and there were only like 400 cases from 1970 to 1986.

Monkeypox became more common over time, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014, and several outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019)..

However, nothing has come close to the 2022 monkeypox outbreak which has now affected at least 56 countries outside of endemic African countries, with over 4,000 cases!

Country	Confirmed Cases	Suspected Cases	Total
Spain	918	100	1,018
United Kingdom	793	–	793
Germany	676	–	676
France	330	–	330
Portugal	328	–	328
Canada	223	45	268
United States	173	–	173
Netherlands	167	–	167
Italy	85	–	85
Belgium	77	1	78
Switzerland	52	–	52
Ireland	28	–	28
Ghana	18	–	18
Brazil	11	6	17
Israel	16	–	16
Australia	13	–	13
Denmark	13	–	13
Sweden	13	–	13
UAE	13	–	13
Austria	12	–	12
Poland	12	–	12
Mexico	9	–	9
Slovenia	9	–	9
Hungary	7	–	7
Czech Republic	6	–	6
Uganda	–	6	6
Romania	5	–	5
Argentina	4	–	4
Finland	4	–	4
Malta	4	–	4
Norway	4	–	4
Somalia	–	4	4
Chile	3	–	3
Colombia	3	–	3
Greece	3	–	3
Iceland	3	–	3
Bulgaria	2	–	2
Latvia	2	–	2
Morocco	1	1	2
Bahamas	–	1	1
Cayman Islands	–	1	1
Fiji	–	1	1
Georgia	1	–	1
Gibraltar	1	–	1
Haiti	–	1	1
Libya	–	1	1
Lebanon	1	–	1
Luxembourg	1	–	1
Serbia	1	–	1
Singapore	1	–	1
South Africa	1	–	1
South Korea	1	–	1
Uruguay	–	1	1
Venezuela	1	–	1
Zambia	–	1	1
TOTAL	4,049	170	4,219

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Monkeypox Outbreak In 20 Countries : Is It A New Pandemic?

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The Monkeypox outbreak has been confirmed in at least 20 countries outside of Africa!

Find out what Monkeypox is all about, and whether it is a new pandemic we have to worry about!

Monkeypox Outbreak : Is It A Pandemic Risk?

People are now worried about the rapid spread of monkeypox globally.

Discovered in 1958, the first human infection was only reported in 1970, and there were only like 400 cases from 1970 to 1986.

However, it became more common over time, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014.

There were also several outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019), but nothing matched the latest 2022 outbreak.

As of 25 May 2022, there were 230 confirmed cases in at least 20 countries outside of Africa, and suspected cases in two other countries.

Country	Confirmed Cases	Suspected Cases	Total
Argentina	–	1	1
Australia	2	–	2
Austria	1	–	1
Belgium	6	1	7
Canada	15	1	16
Czech Republic	1	–	1
Denmark	2	–	2
Finland	1	–	1
France	5	–	5
Germany	5	–	5
Israel	1	–	1
Italy	6	2	8
Morocco	–	3	3
Netherlands	6	–	6
Portugal	49	–	49
Slovenia	1	–	1
Spain	51	43	94
Sweden	1	–	1
Switzerland	2	–	2
UAE	1	–	1
United Kingdom	71	–	71
United States	2	6	8
TOTAL	230	56	286

Monkeypox Outbreak : More Deadly, Unlikely To Cause A Pandemic

Monkeypox is more deadly than COVID-19, with mortality as high as 10% depending on the strain :

West African strain : 1% to 3%
Central African strain : 10%

Fortunately, the 2022 monkeypox outbreak appears to be of the less virulent West African strain, because there is no proven treatment.

The smallpox vaccine can offer up to 85% protection against monkeypox, and certain antiviral treatments can be attempted.

But otherwise – hospitals can only offer supportive treatment as the patient isolates for 2-4 weeks until the disease resolves.

Read more : What You Must Know About Monkeypox!

Monkeypox primarily spreads through close contact, but can spread through respiratory droplets. However, it is far less contagious and is not airborne like COVID-19.

Infected people are also not considered contagious until they start showing symptoms, which limits transmission. This is unlike COVID-19 which is often spread by people who are asymptomatic.

The best way to describe its ability to infect people would be to understand its R0 (Reproduction Number, pronounced as R naught) – how many people an infected person is expected to pass the disease along to.

The ancestral COVID-19 virus has an R0 of between 2 to 3, which increased to 8 with the Omicron variant. That’s really contagious – every infected person will (on average) transmit the virus to 8 other people.

On the other hand, past outbreaks of monkeypox had an R0 of less than one. That means even though there may be clusters of several cases, even outbreaks, the cases die out on their own.

Virus	R0
Measles	12 to 18
Omicron COVID-19	8
Smallpox	5 to 7
Ancestral COVID-19	2 to 3
H1N1 (2009)	1.5 to 2.5
Monkeypox	<1

Monkeypox fortunately does not spread very efficiently between humans. Generally, you need to have skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, or come into contact with his/her bodily fluids, to get infected.

The people most at risk would be close contacts of the infected person, like family members or healthcare workers taking care of them.

Transmission is really happening from close physical contact, skin-to-skin contact. It’s quite different from COVID in that sense.
– Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO Infectious Disease Epidemiologist

It’s not as highly transmissible as something like smallpox, or measles, or certainly not Covid. It does not spread easily from person to person, the risk to the general public is low.
– Anne Rimoin, infectious disease epidemiologist at University of California.

That is why it is very unlikely to become a pandemic, even though it is really abnormal for so many outbreaks to occur simultaneously.

There is also the fact that the monkeypox is so closely related to the smallpox virus, the smallpox vaccine offers 85% protection against monkeypox infections.

In fact, one smallpox vaccine – JYNNEOS – was approved in the United States to serve as protection against monkeypox. Even though there is no public access to this vaccine, that can quickly change.

Several countries, including the United States, have strategic reserves of smallpox vaccines, which can be deployed in a monkeypox outbreak.

We have already worked to secure sufficient supply of effective treatments and vaccines to prevent those exposed from contracting monkeypox and treating people who’ve been affected.
– Dr. Raj Panjabi, White House Pandemic Office.

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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ICANN Transition Plan Sent To US Government

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Marrakech, Morocco – Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Board Chair Dr. Stephen D. Crocker today submitted to the U.S. Government a plan developed by the international Internet community that, if approved, will lead to global stewardship of some key technical Internet functions.

“This plan is a testament to the hard work of the global Internet community and the strength of the multistakeholder model,” said Crocker, who transmitted the plan on behalf of the global community. “The plan has now been sent to the U.S. Government for its review, and assuming it meets the necessary criteria, we will have reached an historic moment in the history of the Internet.”

The plan provides a comprehensive package to transition the U.S. Government’s stewardship of these technical functions, called the IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority), which are critical to the Internet’s smooth operation. It also proposes ways to enhance ICANN’s accountability as a fully independent organization. The transition is the final step in the long-anticipated privatization of the Internet’s Domain Name System (DNS), first outlined when ICANN was incorporated in 1998.

The ICANN Board received the package from the community during its 55th public meeting in Morocco, and today transmitted it to the U.S. National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA).

On 14 March 2014, NTIA announced its desire to transition its stewardship of the IANA functions to the global multistakeholder community. The package is the result of an inclusive, global discussion amongst representatives from government, large and small business, technical experts, civil society, researchers, academics and end users.

“The Internet community has exhibited remarkable dedication to the IANA stewardship transition because we know just how important it is to complete,” said Alissa Cooper, Chair of the IANA Stewardship Transition Coordination Group (ICG) that coordinated the development of the transition proposal. “Internet users the world over stand to benefit from its stability, security, and accountability enhancements to Internet governance once the proposal takes effect.”

[adrotate banner=”4″]The global Internet community has worked tirelessly to develop a plan that meets NTIA’s criteria, logging more than 600 meetings and calls, more than 32,000 mailing list exchanges and more than 800 working hours.

The package combines the technical requirements of a transition coordinated by the IANA Stewardship Transition Group (ICG) and enhancements to ICANN’s accountability identified by the Cross Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (CCWG-Accountability). The two groups were composed of volunteers representing a broad range of interests from the wider multistakeholder Internet community.

“This plan enjoys the broadest possible support from this very diverse community and I’m confident it will meet NTIA’s criteria,” said Thomas Rickert, one of the CCWG-Accountability co-Chairs. “The work of this group shows just how well the inclusive multistakeholder approach is working.”

The U.S. Government will now review the package to ensure that it meets NTIA’s criteria. If approved, implementation of the plan is expected to be completed prior to the expiration of the contract between NTIA and ICANN in September 2016.

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Morocco Highlights IANA Stewardship Transition During ICANN55

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Marrakech, Morocco – Moroccan Minister of Industry, Trade, Investment and the Digital Economy, Moulay Hafid Elalamy, expressed Morocco’s support of the IANA Stewardship Transition today, during the Opening Ceremony of ICANN’s 55th Public Meeting, taking place in Marrakech, Morocco from 5-10 March. The meeting is being held under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

“This great meeting in Marrakech coincides with the last leg, the final leg, of the process in order to get to a transition plan of the governance model of the world system of Internet resources, in order to increase transparency as well as accountability,” said Elalamy. “This initiative is, without any doubt, the illustration of opening up the Internet.”

ICANN55

ICANN55 is taking place during a critical moment in the history of the Internet governance, as members of the global Internet community have come together in Marrakech to finalize a set of proposals which will transfer stewardship of key elements of the Internet’s system of unique identifiers – the IANA functions – from the United States Government over to the multistakeholder community.

[adrotate banner=”4″]Director General of Morocco’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency, Azdine El Mountassir Billah, spoke to the importance of the multistakeholder model of Internet governance, stating, “The great challenge – we know it all and we are working on it – consists of inventing a governance model for the Internet: a multistakeholder, inclusive, fair and balanced one, involving all stakeholders: governments, civil society, and businesses, in order to increase the exchange of opportunities, to reconcile points of view and to create the necessary synergies.”

ICANN Board Chair Dr. Stephen Crocker remarked on the historic nature of ICANN55, but also to the work that still lies ahead, stating, “These proposals will usher in a new era of independence and global accountability of ICANN. Let me emphasize that we’re not done yet. This will be an extremely important juncture at this meeting, and then we still have quite a lot of time and work that will go on in multiple quarters, including, of course, within the U.S. Government.”

“I wish to pay tribute to Mr. Fadi Chehadé, President of ICANN, and his team for the work done to make this organization what it is today,” added Billah. “And for supporting, with enthusiasm and confidence, the holding of the 55th meeting in my country, Morocco.”

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