Four States Sue To Stop Internet Transition (thehill.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Hill: Republican attorneys general in four states are filing a lawsuit to block the transfer of internet domain systems oversight from the U.S. to an international governing body. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt and Nevada Attorney General Paul Laxalt filed a lawsuit on Wednesday night to stop the White House's proposed transition of Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions. The state officials cite constitutional concerns in their suit against the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. government and the Department of Commerce. "The Obama Administration's decision violates the Property Clause of the U.S. Constitution by giving away government property without congressional authorization, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by chilling speech, and the Administrative Procedure Act by acting beyond statutory authority," a statement released by Paxton's office reads. The attorneys generals claim that the U.S. government is ceding government property, pointing to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) review that "concluded that the transition does not involve a transfer of U.S. government property requiring Congressional approval." Paxton also echoed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's warnings that the transition could harm free speech on the internet by giving Russia, China and Iran a voice on the international governing body that would oversee internet domain systems. "Trusting authoritarian regimes to ensure the continued freedom of the internet is lunacy," Paxton said. "The president does not have the authority to simply give away America's pioneering role in ensuring that the internet remains a place where free expression can flourish."

Comments

Re:Obama....

[tripleevenfall]

Right for the wrong reasons is still right.

Wake up white people!

[PopeRatzo]

It's about time we have a president who really gets the cyber.

https://youtu.be/bYJ_H2c5IWc

Alternative; Countries Unite to Create New System

[FrodoOfTheShire]

Politicians in the US want to keep control because it gives the US an advantage. The point of transferring control to ICANN is because countries do not like the US holding control and having that advantage. If the US takes their ball and goes home, the other countries have a plan to create their own system. Either the US will have to join the new system or get shut out of E-Commerce internationally. The reason they are considering a transfer to ICANN is because they will still have some influence.

So either share the ball, or the other kids will just buy their own ball and won't let the US play.