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ICANN CEO Proposes Radical Changes
Froomkin writes: "ICANN CEO Stuart Lynn today released a plan for a "strong" ICANN that would have 5 of 15 Board members selected directly by governments and the rest by registrars, registries, plus a few Board-squatter-like ringers chosen by the ICANN Board or staff. The main justifications offered for this shift are that in order to be "strong" ICANN needs more money, more support, and less "process". Of course, promises Lynn, ICANN's "core values of openness and broad participation" should be "preserved". (Don't laugh. It's not funny.) "Meaningful participation" will be achieved by cutting out any direct representation for end-users. Oh yes, ICANN wants a much bigger budget, and to be independent of the US Dept. of Commerce, and to get direct control of the root server operators too, all so as to ensure that ICANN has unimpeded ability to execute its (undefined, growing) "mission". ICANN was supposed to save the Internet from governments; since major interest groups such as the ccTLDs and RIRs won't do what ICANN wants, and won't pay it, ICANN now turns to governments to save it from the Internet. See the Press Release here, and then look at entire plan, then visit ICANNWatch.org for updates and commentary." Yep. The proposal would eliminate any pretense of At-Large involvement in running ICANN - it would be solely a governmental and corporate body.
This sort of thing would only cause me concern if I felt that governments and corporations didn't have my best interest and whole-heartedly good intentions in mind.
...to UCANT.
(Universal Controller of All Network Traffic)
The great benevolence of govenments such as China should serve as a shining model and example of plans like this. Who knows, the Chinese government may be able to bring down it's great wall, even Saudi Arabia as ICANT makes the internet safe for all good corporate citezens. What a glorious day this is for public networks and the independence of the North American Directorate. Can you feel the goodwill coming in from WIPPO, and DCMA? Every state will have it's say as the national borders go up in the name of unity. Intelectual property will be safe as will the big pubishers will no longer fear competition. Telcos can loose their fears of loosing their franchises as new more centralized and stronger means of information interchange are devised by ICANTs board members like Microsoft and Sun. The freedom this will bring is unbelievable. Like an advert flier says, there's no limit to the internet is there? Only strong government control will be able to squash the emergent wireless internet, they had better hurry!
Oh well, I did not expect more. As the people of the United States accept violations of the first and fourth amendments, the experiment that was the Bill of Rights dies. It started with regulation of the airwaves. It will end with electronic publishing. As all the dead tree acid paper rots and people are taught that obsolete communications methods are not to be trusted and the ideas contained in those rotting pages are no longer valid, and all electronic publishing comes under the control of the government and two or three large companies.
Bill Gates really can see the future. He's buying it.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
What would happen to Montserrat?
Scientists report a massive change in the Earth's orbit. This change has been traced to the gyroscopic effect of Jon Postel spinning in his grave.
General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
Stuart Lynn, CEO of ICANN, announced today that the board has appointed a new member - Mr William Gates. Lynn said: "Mr Gates will help ICANN function as a strong organisation, dedicated to core values and open participation".
.NET and all domain names which do not include ".msn" will be banned.
/. reporter, asked whether "all our domains are belong to Microsoft?" which Mr Lynn dismissed by stating: "You are either with us or against us".
Mr Lynn also announced that the Internet will now be officially renamed
Jon Katz, infamous
* * Always question "the National Interest" - 9 times out of 10 it is a cover for evil
I had one of those annoying on-the-tip-of-my-tongue experiences, but I felt like I had to say something. So I stammered and blurted out:
Unfortunately, that expansion is now stuck in my head."Because what people can't understand, they can't criticize."
You, sir, are apparently not from the United States.