US to lose control of the Internet – Global speech to be “controlled”?
 

“all looked straight ahead as Hendon explained the EU had decided to end the US government's unilateral control of the internet and put in place a new body that would now run this revolutionary communications medium.”

Full story here, in the Guardian.

http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,16376,1585288,00.html

According to the Guardian, the US has no choice but to acquiesce. But as Mickey Kaus argues on Slate, why? We own the servers. “We can thumb our nose at the U.N. on Iraq but not on free speech?”

What are the implications with respect to global speech under UN control? “Cooperation models.” Not promising.

THe U.S. "runs" the internet?
So that's what that guy behind the curtain is doing....

:D

Drop their TLD's and let them make their own internet.

Hey wait, Al Gore invented the internet while in office, we could at least charge a royalty for it right? The rest of the world could send us their goods and money for using our invention and we abolish taxes for all US citizens and live a life of leisure!

All hail Al Gore!

We control the 13 root name (DNS) servers on the internet. ICANN, the organization in charge is somewhat independant, but the US Commerce Dept. still maintains veto power. Think of these servers as the master phone book for the entire internet. Currently, everyone on earth is using the same phonebook. However, it would be easy for a country to simply decide to not be part the system.

They could mandate that ISPs in the country use an alternate set of servers, and the US would be largely powerless to stop them.

Lets suppose the Brazillian government decides that Amazon.com is offensive. They feel that a local company should have that address. If they started using their own DNS servers, everyone in Brazil would end up seeing a different site when they went to Amazon.com.

I feel this issue is a HUGE threat to internet commerce.

I enjoy blaming Bush for lots of things, but in this instance, his antics really have had a profoundly negative effect. The hatred he has generated for the US is a prime factor in the EU seeking independance. Only a strong diplomatic position and tact would head this off, but seeing as our chief executive jackass had neither, it likely will happen.

Sometime soon, people will wake up and start to see the horrible price in prestige and power that the Iraq war has cost us. Its a national disaster.

You're kidding, right?

The French and the EU have and continue to look to circumvent or marginalize the U.S. whenever they can. Both will collapse under there own weight within our lifetimes. (The French under the tremendous burden of socialism and the EU under the weight of the French.)

I say give 'em the finger.

The US INVENTED the internet! we came up with it. I guess that means that we should control it.

I guess the French should turn over the FIA if they want the Internet.

The other countries...like china...want control so they can extend their control of the media to the internet (further than it already is). Simple fascism.

Say what you want, but US control is a good thing.

#1 AH, No. It has to do with economic power and balance on that side of the pond and AHEMM can you say THE EURO which was in the works long before GWB to bolster their exchange rate against the US dollar...

#2 Stop worrying about the US image; nobody can stand us anyway which is something I learned when I was 8.

#3 We invaded Iraq to use as a springboard for launching operations in the middle east so we don't have to piss around asking France if we can fly over their air space anymore.

Ha ha ha! Let's TURN OFF THEIR INTERNET!

They don't like that ICANN controls the servers, let them build their own! They don't like that the Internet has become a channel for the expression of dissident content in China, let them establish their own networks!

Guess what: they have ALWAYS had the ability to do that ANYWAY!

Harddrive, is there ANYTHING negative in the sphere of international relations that you do NOT blame on the Bush Administration?

Interesting fact's . .. right up to the part where you start saying (essentially) "the US should start acting nicer when getting ass-raped by other countries."

Is that because the US is too pretty & popular . . and was really just strutting around asking to be fuched?



The headline, of the article, reads "After troubled negotiations in Geneva, the US may be forced to relinquish control of the internet to a coalition of governments " . . .operative word; FORCED.

Furthermore, the article goes on to say "the EU had decided to end the US government's unilateral control of the internet . . "

So, rather than setting up there OWN internet, they are simply TAKING our internet.

... . .so Ben Dover, smile; would ya? . .tell'm that you like it hard. http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/.../smileysex.gif


http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/...ool_shades.gif

Wherepon it would be converted to NASCAR format...

Bush hates turning left....

What an arse.


Webby Awards not laughing at Gore's contribution to Net
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2005-05-04-gore-webby_x.htm

Glenn,

I'm not sure why you felt the need to be so nasty in your response. Quoting a headline does not speak to the technical reality of what is going on. Care to explain in technical terms what is meant by 'forced' ?

And further, everyone elses suggestions that we some how 'own' the internet are beyond laughable. We own the EU telcos? No. The US invented the internet, and we currently control the phonebook. Thats all. If other areas start using their own, we are powerless to stop them.

I stand by every letter of what I wrote.

The last line with icons doing each other??? Grow up.

Not coming back to respond to this Glenn?

Or did you wisely realize that you are out of your depth and take your adolecent tripe elsewhere?

Your rant about diminished U.S. influence, etc, notwithstanding, how does it help anyone if they declare independence from our evil iron fist? Isn't this like deciding that you're going to start using base-16 for your phone numbers? You can't call anyone, they can't call you. Congrats, you're a big man now, but how have you helped yourself?

Other than the lucky opportunist who gets to be "amazon.com" in Chile, who wins? Certainly not the people in Chile hoping to order a book online.