Slashdot Mirror
US Control of Internet Remains an Issue
Hugh Pickens writes "A UN-sponsored Internet conference ended with little progress on the issue of US control over the domain name system run by ICANN, a California-based nonprofit over which the US. government retains veto power. By controlling the core systems, the United States indirectly influences the way much of the world uses the Internet. As the conference drew to a close, the Russian representative, Konstantin Novoderejhkin, called on the United Nations secretary-general to create a working group to develop ''practical steps'' for moving Internet governance ''under the control of the international community.'' The United States insists that the existing arrangements ensure the Internet's stability and there's little indication that the US government and ICANN plan to cede their roles over domain names anytime soon. ''I think (there are) a small number of countries that are very agitated and almost don't care what the facts are,'' said Internet pioneer Vint Cerf, who stepped down as ICANN's chairman earlier this month. ''It's a very small vocal group bothered by this issue. ICANN has existed for eight years and done a great job with its plans for internationalization.'' With no concrete recommendations for action, the only certainty going forward is that any resentment about the American influence will only grow as more users from the developing world come online, changing the face of the global network. The next forum will held next year in New Delhi, India."
These points, and many other historical arguements, are irrelevant. The only issue here is that the United States currently has control, and is being presented with no good (or even clear) reason why it should give that control up
The discussion started, as most discussions do, quite sanely and quietly with a good reason. The main reason why it should give up control is because it has control, and the world doesn't trust someone as crazy as the US with that power. Countries depend on the internet more and more, and it is truly international. That said, something international like that should not be under the control of one country. As a people, we elected a nut like George W. Bush, we invaded two countries on a whim, our CIA is taking people from other countries, hiding them in little rooms all over the world and torturing them, all in the name of "fighting terrorism," and the rest of the world simply does not trust us. Whether or not you agree with the obvious slant of my statements, that's how the rest of the world looks at the US. I'm an American and easily see that.
Now while giving up control is, in terms of the world, the right thing to do, do you honestly think that the US is giving up control any time soon? We have the power, why give it up? Of course the discussion degenerated, because you could present all the logical arguments you can come up with, the US simply will not give up power like that. Who knows when they'll need another bargaining chip, or need to shut down a TLD before invading another country, or whatever else the government comes up with.
That's why this degenerates into a flame war, because there's no where for the discussion to go. The US has all the toys, and when they were asked to share, they put their fingers in their ears and stomped away. Now the rest of the world is stomping right behind them demanding "it's not faaaaaaiiirrrrr!!!!" Welcome to international politics.
"All great wisdom is contained in .signature files"
ICANN OBVIOUSLY needs to be put under the control of the United Nations. From its perspective, it has no leg to stand on for censoring and blocking access, the US DOES, and eventually the US will be censoring just like the Chinese. You cannot trust these the Christians. Control and ethnic cleansing is their plan for all of us. Do not believe me, head to Africa. Read this bible or go hungry mother fucker. But I digress.
The US may have built the internet, but they are not trustworthy enough to control it. I am an American and I can recognize this.
"Get away from my internet connection you damn dirty Christian!"
"America in that past 20 years has constantly been making policy based on trying to be a good guy, and that just pisses people off because that's such a holier than thou attitude about things"
Are you really dumb enough to believe that?
America has been paying lip service to being the good guy whilst screwing with other countries' regimes, selling arms into unstable areas, invading and destabilising all sorts of places and all the whole preaching to the rest of the world about "freedom", "justice" and the "American Way", which it makes clear by its actions it doesn't believe in and only applies to US citizens. Even then it begrudges every liberty it has granted its own people.
Stop worshipping that damn flag and look at the actions of your country around the world. It's disgraceful and it really grates when when all you ever hear out of US politicians is how fucking great and blameless they are in the troubles of the world.
I mean god-damn all the good and evil, us and them rhetoric is simplistic and childish, yet you guys lap it up.