EU, UN to Wrestle Internet Control From US

Anonymous Coward writes "The Guardian is reporting that the EU, obviously unimpressed with the US's refusal to relinguish control of the Internet, will be forming several comittees and forums with a mind to forcibly remove control of the Internet from the United States." From the article: "Old allies in world politics, representatives from the UK and US sat just feet away from each other, but 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. The issue of who should control the net had proved an extremely divisive issue, and for 11 days the world's governments traded blows. For the vast majority of people who use the internet, the only real concern is getting on it. But with the internet now essential to countries' basic infrastructure - Brazil relies on it for 90% of its tax collection - the question of who has control has become critical."

Comments

Why is this an issue?

[ellem]

Hey EU you like this internet stuff so much, build you own.

Re:The UN has finally lost it

[hotdiggitydawg]

The US always has paid for its own messes ... and eventually, for everyone else's.

Tell that to the families of the British, Australian, Italian, (insert non-US country of choice)... troops killed in Iraq, in wars started by the US over a situation created by decades of poor US foreign policy.

Ignorant and arrogant attitudes like yours are fast becoming the stereotype of America overseas. And people wonder why Americans are hated...

Re:The UN has finally lost it

[pembo13]

Better yet, would be interesting if the world put a 1 month boycott on the US. The world is a lot bigger than the US, and a large portion of the world would be more than happy to humble the US somewhat. Many of the arrogant people would be suprised me thinks.

Re:EU trying to be a big guy

[marlinSpike]

I have just one thing to say to such a moron: Look at how stupid we in the US looked when we declared "Feedom Fries".

Please, people from other countries, not every American is as stupid as the guy above!

Re:Devils Advocate

[surprise_audit]

Well, part of the problem is that the US didn't run around the world laying wires and fibre for everybody, the US invented the protocols and then each individual country expended millions to lay their own networks. Those network joined together bit by bit to form the global Internet.

What's pissing off the other countries is that some politician they have no control over could cut them off from the root DNS and make their whole country difficult to access. That amounts to an incredible economic sanction. With the US stomping around in the Middle East, inventing WMDs as justification for invasion, and generally bullying people, that's a big concern.

Re:Vint Cerf invented the Internet , _NOT_ the U.S

[jav1231]

Hey, Dumbass, who paid for all this? The U.S.! Those are schools in the U.S. that are subsidized by tax dollars. So, yeah, the U.S. should control it. BTW: The backbone at the time was part of the military. No backbone, now place to hone your new technologies. The EU and UN should piss off! Let them create their own closed networks then vai for a "trust" relationship to ours. Problem solved. This idea that there's a one-world government called the U.N. is horrifying. The U.N. is a front for corruption and a tolerator or terrorism. The EU is just trying to be relevant.

Re:The UN has finally lost it

[g8oz]

Also as a side benefit, thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Iraqis are dead, terrorists have firmly established an infrastructure, and the country is slipping towards civil war and disintegration.

But hey, don't let the facts spoil the party.

Re:The UN has finally lost it

[glesga_kiss]

'd be real interested to hear how the UN has helped with the "war on terror"? It seems to me that the "war on terror" has continued despite the UN's attempted interference at every turn.

The "War on Terror" is a bullshit lie. Iraq has nothing to do with terrorism. Nothing. Ever. Everytime Cheney mentions "War and terror" in respect to Iraq, he is taking a shit on 1 World Trade Plaza and wiping his ass with the US flag. Iraq invasion plans existed prior to 9-11 and your government abused the attacks to engage in a highly profitable war that they would never of had public backing for without the fear propaganda.

All the US has done on the "War on Terror" is stoke the flames. Last week, the UKs largest terrorist groups gave up their arms. What did it take? Invasion? Regime change? Carpet bombing? Assasination of leaders. No, we met them at the debate table and sorted out their issues. After decades of unsuccessfully trying all the other options.

That's how adults deal with conflict. Children lash out...

Re:WWW != The Internet

[deaddrunk]

You have a point about Germany, however France as a country has existed for a lot longer than the US, irrespective of whether it had a constitution or not. Without France the US may not have existed but then you Yanks find it convenient to forget this just because they wouldn't kiss your ass over the unnecessary war in Iraq.

Re:It's just about the US's track record

[carlmenezes]

Oh yeah...now I bet this won't take 5 minutes to get modded -1 flamebait.

EU, UN to Wrestle Internet Control From US

[infiniphonic]

thank god

Re:The UN has finally lost it

[ifwm]

"in wars started by the British over a situation created by decades of poor foreign policy."

There I fixed your childish, ignorant mistake for you.

And if you're wonderingwhat I'm talking about, you don't know enough history.