U.N. controlled internet

[Guest]

This keeps coming up week after week and I'm surprised it hasn't made it over here yet. Here is a quote from the lastest page to grace /. about the subject:

U.N. bureaucrats and telecommunications ministers from many less-developed nations claim the U.S. government has undue influence over how things run online. Now they want to be the ones in charge.

While the formal proposal from a U.N. working group will be released July 18, it's already clear what it will contain. A preliminary summary of governmental views claims there's a "convergence of views" supporting a new organization to oversee crucial Internet functions, most likely under the aegis of the United Nations or the International Telecommunications Union.

Beyond the usual levers of diplomatic pressure and public kvetching, Brazil and China could choose what amounts to the nuclear option: a fragmented root.
At issue is who decides key questions like adding new top-level domains, assigning chunks of numeric Internet addresses, and operating the root servers that keep the Net humming. Other suggested responsibilities for this new organization include Internet surveillance, "consumer protection," and perhaps even the power to tax domain names to pay for "universal access."

http://news.com.com/Will+the+U.N.+run+the+Internet/2010-1071_3-5780157.html?tag=st.pop

Honestly when I see a country like China pushing for this it tunes me out real quick.

[TruthElixirX]

Honestly when I see a country like China pushing for this it tunes me out real quick.

Exactly. The internet is just fine how it is in my opinion.

[BamaStangGuy]

Exactly. The internet is just fine how it is in my opinion.

U.N. needs to fix its current problems of not being able to handle the responsibility it has before it tries to take on anymore responsibility.

With that said I am totally against the UN getting involved in controlling the internet.

[Chris M]

What business does the UN have even considering controlling it?

Satan

[BamaStangGuy]

What business does the UN have even considering controlling it?

Satan

None

[Chris M]

Precisely

IMO they should let me control the net

Edit: w00t - 1000 posts

Satan

[Martin]

"...perhaps even the power to tax domain names to pay for "universal access."

And here we have the crux of the matter.

[Chris M]

And here we have the crux of the matter.

If they think they can get away with taxing me on yet another thing I have paid for, they've got another thing coming...

Satan

[TruthElixirX]

Lets have a revolt! The internet web administrator's rebellion of 2005. They'll read about it in history boosk for years to come wether we fail or win. XD


This would start cutting indivduals out of the picture and younger people under 18 due to the amount of legal work that'll habve to go alnog with it.

[Reeve of Shinra]

I've been reading about this and I just cant find a good reason for transfering this to UN control. The push seems to be comming from foriegn countries under teh guise of fearing censorship from a private 'american' company. I think the USA and maybe some euro countries are heavilly dependant on the current net setup and if someone pulled the plug for a few days, our economies could be fubared.

Since theres no chance in hell that I think the US will relinquish this control, the next quesiton is whether the UN will setup thier own system anyway and how will in work along side what we have today?

[Chris M]

Let's see - I cannot see millions of users flocking to a different system controlled by a bunch of idiots who can barely decide life-changing decisions, or even minor ones such as what type of coffee is best - I'm sure if you asked that in a debate between UN delegates you would get multiple answers and each delegate would argue amongst themselves to find which is the better type of coffee...

My point? You'll get maybe the Pro-UN idiots or the "I want to be nice and safe and legal" freaks that will adopt the UN's controlled system, and then the normal people, people who will benefit from the current system or the people who simply cannot stand the UN using our current system...

So for the UN's sake, let's pray they don't bother

Satan

[someuser190826]

Don't get me started on this.

In regards to the Rebellion. I say we do it, I nominate my self as the alpha-leader of the rebellion :P We will revolt, ride together, die together, and run away together (if be it!).

Lets start our own internet, with our own private open-source browsers, own technologies (harnessing the powers of IPv6).

[Chris M]

Right - All those in favour of following mfinc?

*sees blank faces staring back at him*

All those in favour of comitting mfinc?

*gets knocked off his feet while hundreds of members grab at straight jackets*



Seriously though, if the UN does ever get their grubby hands on the net, we're doomed

Satan

[patriotcow]

If they touch my domains they are dead! No one should be in charge of the internet, only parts of the internet where bits are fastened on. If a server is in the uk then the uk is in charge of that!

[fire27]

dont forget about i2 being developed? let the un take i1 and let us have i2 works out nicely