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ACLU Takes on ICANN

Posted by michael on from the steel-cage-match dept.

c_honcho writes "Now the ACLU (and friends) is taking on the ICANN group for limiting our 'Net freedoms. I suppose it was only a matter of time." See the ACLU's letter for their concerns about ICANN's addition of new TLDs.

3 of 133 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Generally sillyness... by interiot · · Score: 5
    Yes, I've been thinking about this a lot recently.

    URL's are somewhat like phone numbers, especially since one can dial a letter string. Yet, we don't see companies suiing each other over 1-800-4-AMAZON or 1-800-PHONE-SEX.

    Why not? URLs are more tied to brand image than a phone number is? IP litigation has only now become the rage? Are URLs somehow more legally protected than phone numbers?

    I wonder if URLs would have had arbitrary limitations put on them... such as being 6 characters long at maximum, and 2 of the characters have to be numeric... if companies wouldn't have become so attached to a string of letters that they find it necessary to spend tremendous amounts of money to purchase or litigate.
    --

  2. It's about time by Walter+Wart · · Score: 5

    As electronic communications become more regulated and "more like" other aspects of life it was inevitable that the ACLU would become concerned with them. High time. We could use an experienced and effective advocate like them

    --
    The man who never alters his opinion is like the stagnant water and breeds Reptiles of the Mind -- William Blake
  3. It's about time! by fmaxwell · · Score: 5
    When the ICANN extorts $50,000 from an "applicant" just to consider a 3-7 letter long TLD, something is very wrong. When the users of the Internet are excluded from the TLD selection process, there is something very wrong. When ICANN releases TLDs like .coop and .museum, I think that something very crooked has taken place behind closed doors.

    I applaud the ACLU for getting involved.