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US Govt Wants to Control ICANN?
blankmange writes "ZDNet is covering a new piece of legislation that may be introduced by Sen. Conrad Burns that would give the US government more control of ICANN - the independent corporation that controls the domain-naming system of the internet. 'In a statement released two days before a Senate subcommittee is scheduled to hold hearings on the global body, Burns said the change was necessary because ICANN has exceeded its authority, does not operate in an open fashion, and is dangerously unaccountable to Internet users, businesses and other key interest groups.'"
Sen. Burns is ... a Socialist???
Everyone knows ICANN is scum. See also this and this.
And of course the UDRP is dreadful.
However, this proposal reads to me less like a solution to ICANN's well documented track records of cronyism and broken promises, and more like a US powergrab, orchestrated by Republicans who oppose international institutions on principle - a position which has certain merits but which ought to be promoted honestly. Of course, I may be jumping to conclusions since no specifics of the bill are yet available.
For all u eurotrash: In the US, instead of Eurosceptics, we have Republicans, who, instead of hating the EU, hate the UN. American leftists generally support the UN and oppose the WTO. We don't have an international umbrella organisation for both ends of the political spectrum to despise (unless you count the federal guvmint.)
The good and new comes from no quarter where it is looked for, and is always something different from what is expected.
First of all, why in the 14th Level of Hell (the one with the infinite screeching monkeys) would the rest of the world be happy with the US Government governing the Internet?
See, this is the kind of thing that pisses off the rest of the world. Next thing you know, ICANN's predecessor will be censoring domain names all over the world, in order to "stop the terror" and "protect the children" and "protect American interests". So you'll not only be unable to register Microsoftsucks.com, but Microsoftsucks.uk or Microsoftsucks.tv.
And before someone comes out and says, "Just because the US Government can do it doesn't mean it will", let me give you a little hint: We dont trust the US Goverment. Personally, Al Gore would've made a better job at it than Bush. At least he was technologically savvy. At least he could pronounce "technologically savvy".
Mark my words... the US keeps this up, and sooner or later you're gonna start receiving virtual terrorist attacks or something. Screwing up the Internet for the rest of the world, by the way.
I say let the UN create some sort of Internet Agency with representation from several countries, not just from "american citizens, businesses and special interests".
Sorry about the rant, but it really strikes me as a very, very Bad Idea.
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I
Learning to fly, Pink Floyd.
and they instead put an even bigger warmongering idiot into office who promptly proceeded to give our tax refunds to everyone to gain a larger support base.
Of course, the fact that due to the bungling surrounding this refund, my federal income tax check wasn't considered certified. (Usually, you can take the federal income tax check, just like SS checks, to any old bank and cash them...not so this year! People have even had them not clear....)