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Google Warns Against UN Net Conference

Posted by Soulskill on from the deciding-how-you-view-cat-pictures dept.

another random user writes "Google has warned that a forthcoming U.N.-organized conference threatens the 'free and open internet.' Government representatives are set to agree a new information and communications treaty in December. It has been claimed some countries will try to wrest oversight of the net's technical specifications and domain name system from U.S. bodies to an international organization. However, the U.N. has said there would be consensus before any change was agreed." Google is using its Take Action page to encourage people to speak out on this issue.

18 of 79 comments (clear)

  1. A Very Special E-Mail by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Funny

    From: Google Staff
    To: All GMail Users

    Subject: UN Net Conference

    Okay, let's just clear the air here a bit. We know that you are thinking about the UN Net Conference coming up and frankly we're a little hurt. Don't even try and deny it, we've been reading your e-mails and we know you're talking to all your friends about it. And what is up with that? It's like a serious threat to our free and open internet, man! We've got a really good thing going here and you're going to fuck it all up!

    And we know how much you love a free and open internet, remember that time you e-mailed the EFF asking about a possibility that Google Staff was reading your e-mails? Yeah, that wasn't the EFF that told you that there was nothing to investigate and to go back to doing your lame-ass private things. That was us so the jig is up, we know you like a free and open internet and now we're asking you to help us preserve that and protect it from governments. And don't change the topic like you always do, this isn't about corporations. This is about the dirty nanny state governments that you complained to your coworker Allen about.

    And now you're thinking about this UN Net conference thing? Jesus, man, do you know who else is going to be reading your e-mail? Kim Jong Un. No, he's not asking for it but that's who we'll give it to if you go to this conference! Mark our words, the DPRK is going to be up to their eyeballs in what your Magic deck is looking like for Friday nights if you don't start protesting this shit ASAP.

    Ugh, you know, we hate to get ugly but, like, we do this because we love you. We were there reading along when you told your vet in an e-mail that $1,000 was too much for Fido's gum cancer treatment and then they turned around and charged your $365 to put his corpse in a garbage bag. We felt for you, man.

    We got a really beautiful thing going on here between us, man. So get out there and protest this thing! Let's just keep the internet free and open. If you do we'll keep that wart on your junk between just us (anonymous browsing? Please, we knew that was you). Governments don't need to get involved in this. Come on.

    We know you'll do the right thing because we know more about you than your closest friend,

    - The Google Team

    --
    My work here is dung.
  2. The UN = Censorship by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The UN, a wonderful organization where every dictatorship gets the same votes as a western country. What could possibly go wrong? Surely there are more liberal countries in the world than dictatorship and corruption...

    I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. Allahu Akbar! (don't kill me)

    1. Re:The UN = Censorship by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      So what you're saying is that the UN votes should be weighted based on how democratic they are? The US barely makes the top 20 in that regard (Democracy Index.)

    2. Re:The UN = Censorship by sortius_nod · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Democracy is about counting the votes of people equally, good or bad. In essence you're advocating a dictatorship (as the Internet is run now by the US) over a democracy by claiming that dictatorships (countries) will have more of a say.

      I trust the US less than I trust the UN with the Internet. When "Internet Kill Switches" are being investigated by the US, it's clear this is not about democracy but protecting US assets/companies at the cost of the rest of the world.

      US citizens, as usual, see the US as the police of the world, the rest of us are the criminals. The truth is, the US are the criminals & we're trying to wrest control of a powerful tool from despotic megalomaniacs.

    3. Re:The UN = Censorship by Hentes · · Score: 3, Interesting

      You confuse people with states. If you really want a democratic control of the internet (a bad idea IMO), you shouldn't propose giving votes to leaders that weren't elected democratically. It's double standards to talk about democracy and at the same time making excuses for tyrannies.

    4. Re:The UN = Censorship by bhagwad · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Since when did dictatorships suddenly have the same moral standing as democratic countries? I mean on the one hand you want democratic control over the Internet. And on the other you want participants who themselves are not democratic...something's missing here.

      While I dislike many things about the US's control over the Internet, I would choose them over the UN in a heartbeat. It's a question of the lesser evil.

  3. Something to consider by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This would be a great way for the government of the US and other Western nations to make a show of "transferring control" of the internet to an agency of the UN, influenced heavily by Russia and China, to do their SOPA-style work for them. "Hey- we didn't push the latest round of censorship...don't bitch at us."

  4. The Devil we Know... by jythie · · Score: 5, Interesting

    While I feel that the US domination of the Internet is a problem.. and its current unilateral control over so many part of it is not just bad for foreigners but not that good for US citizens either... I am not convinced that the UN would do a better job and would likely make the situation even worse. Just look at the domain name dispute process.....

    1. Re:The Devil we Know... by girlintraining · · Score: 2

      and its current unilateral control over so many part of it is not just bad for foreigners but not that good for US citizens either.

      The problem is that the internet is the best tool for democracy ever created. We are all peers now in a global and worldwide community, with the ability to freely communicate with each other. While this communication has moved forward slowly, fitfully, and often painfully, it is moving forward. But it will still take generations of this access before true social change is achieved. We still, for the most part, watch our own news, talk to people geographically local to us, and eschew the larger world. But it still creeps in, day by day, bit by bit. Eventually, the shell will be cracked, no matter how tough it is.

      Democracy is also the most dangerous thing imaginable for those in power. It means that you can't control the media in just one country and call it a day -- now you have to control them in all the countries. If your bomb goes awry and lands on civilians, the whole world is going to hear about it. Coverups, media manipulation, etc., all become more difficult. Government transparency increases year after year, and the costs to maintain a curtain over what is happening become higher and higher. The so-called "Transparent society" and loss of privacy goes both ways. Nobody can hide.

      That's why the internet has to be dismantled and sold off piece by piece. The geographical barriers need to be put back up. Sovereignty must be restored -- and it's something all governments can agree on, and all of their citizens can disagree with. The internet is the ultimate tool of democracy. It must be destroyed! And quickly, before the whole world converts to it.

      --
      #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
    2. Re:The Devil we Know... by Krojack · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I always see non US citizens complain about the USA having control over the internet yet I never seen any examples of what the US control does to hinder their Internet experience. Is the US preventing you from doing something on the Internet? Is the US throttling your internet connection? Is your monthly Internet bill to the US to high? Are you upset because the US caps your monthly download limit?

      Please give some examples because I'm honestly confused.

    3. Re:The Devil we Know... by MrL0G1C · · Score: 3, Informative

      You clearly haven't been paying attention.

      U.S. Government Shuts Down 84,000 Websites, 'By Mistake

      Just google ICE and 'websites' for more crap that the US govt has been pulling against websites, many of which are perfectly legal and not in the US.

      --
      Waterfox - a Firefox fork with legacy extension support, security updates and better privacy by default.
    4. Re:The Devil we Know... by rgbrenner · · Score: 2

      megaupload.com

      .com is a US domain name. If you don't want to be subject to US laws, don't register your name in our country.

      The UN isn't going to change that.

      I can't operate in your country and expect to be exempt from your laws.

    5. Re:The Devil we Know... by GrubInCan · · Score: 3, Informative

      Is it? RFC1591 says it's supposed to be international. Only GOV and MIL are US only.

    6. Re:The Devil we Know... by RobbieCrash · · Score: 2

      Thanks for illustrating the problem with a US dominated internet. The US only domains are .GOV for the US government, .MIL for the US Military, .US for American sites, and .EDU for American educational institutions.

      America can control those, but you're not allowed to dictate what happens outside your domains. If, like Megaupload, I have servers in your country you're allowed to confiscate those. You can block my site in your borders. You can try to take me to court. But what the fuck gives you the right to silence me in countries where your jurisdiction is null?

      --
      Keep on knockin'
      https://robbiecrash.me
    7. Re:The Devil we Know... by rgbrenner · · Score: 2

      Why do you think .EDU is American, but .COM is not? Both are top-level generic domains. So it's interesting that you assign different ownership to them.

  5. Misread by bhcompy · · Score: 3, Funny

    Read that as UUNet.. instantly brought back memories of hatred and despair for them ruining my Quake ping times

  6. Open Media is way ahead of you google by Cyko_01 · · Score: 2

    http://www.protectinternetfreedom.net/

  7. consensus by KraxxxZ01 · · Score: 2

    "consensus before any change was agreed". Now name me one government that wont get a boner to stricter net control. Being a non-US citizen I usually welcome similar news with warm "meh...". But this one gives me creeps. Having Saudi Arabia with a say what is acceptable GLOBALLY, with theirs, to me at least repulsive culture, is frightening. My hope lay in cultural differences that will make global deal on this issue unreachable.