and America takes another one in the........
Posted on 10/02/2009 6:51:07 PM PDT by NorwegianViking
After complaints about American dominance of the internet and growing disquiet in some parts of the world, Washington has said it will relinquish some control over the way the network is run and allow foreign governments more of a say in the future of the system. Icann – the official body that ultimately controls the development of the internet thanks to its oversight of web addresses such as .com, .net and .org – said today that it was ending its agreement with the US government. The deal, part of a contract negotiated with the US department of commerce, effectively pushes California-based Icann towards a new status as an international body with greater representation from companies and governments around the globe. Icann had previously been operating under the auspices of the American government, which had control of the net thanks to its initial role in developing the underlying technologies used for connecting computers together. But the fresh focus will give other countries a more prominent role in determining what takes place online, and even the way in which it happens – opening the door for a virtual United Nations, where many officials gather to discuss potential changes to the internet. Icann chief Rod Beckstrom, a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur and Washington insider who took over running the organisation in July, said there had been legitimate concerns that some countries were developing alternative internets as a way of routing around American control. "It's rumoured that there are multiple experiments going on with countries forking the internet, various countries have discussed this," he said. "...He added that the changes would prove powerful when combined with upcoming plans to allow web users to use addresses with names in Chinese, Arabic or other alphabets other than Latin...
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
But the fresh focus will give other countries a more prominent role in determining what takes place online, and even the way in which it happens – opening the door for a virtual United Nations, where many officials gather to discuss potential changes to the internet.
Welcome to the Balkanization of the Internet. Where freedom is never a good thing, capitalism sucks, and tinpot dictators are given the same voice as freedom-loving democracies.
Sorry, I will try to be more careful. I do not post very often and I thought the paragraphs in the original news article would carry through here. I’ll be sure to double check.
Thanks.
Why? Let them build their own internet.
It is ANOTHER surrender of American dominance and de facto sovereignty to the Muzzie third world. THANKS, Hussein Obama.
No problem. The title of the article and no paragraphs made the post look like zot material.
It is an ill wind that blows no one any good. If the US doesn’t have control, they can’t shut it down. It makes it much less likely that any one country can shut it down.
Interesting!!!
and America takes another one in the........
OUCH!!! I just hate it when that happens and it has been happening all too many times lately! Thanks for the graphic.
controling the internet was very “arrogant” of us. I’m sure the UN will do a much better job than ICAAN has. /s
The greatest tool ever invented that allows, at least in any meaningful way, average Americans to really exercise their free speech rights has just been handed over to the tyrants and thugs at the UN.
This has the potential to affect US trademarks. That’s a big deal.
It won’t hurt multi-national conglomerates, but it may hurt Us mid size and small businesses who don’t have the same global business structure or legal resources at their disposal.
Ping
surrender in all quarters.
How is it that something created by the US Department of Defense can succumb to foreign control.
BHO is POS.
To which I'd add: The internet has been damaging the established state-run media organs... can't have that. It fosters freedom, too - totally unacceptable. You can see why some foreign governments (and now, sadly, ours too) want to choke it into submission.
A number of people here were recently discussing a revival of a dial-up BBS network. I'd say this just adds to the reasons why an alternate communications network is a serious need - and probably more urgent than we think.
Carter gave away the Panama Canal, now completely controlled by....China.
Hussein gives away control of the internet. Care to guess what open minded advocates of free speech will be running the show in 10 years?
Truthfully, I don’t think the US will exist as a genuine sovereign nation in 10 years, anyway. On paper, yes. In reality, no.
Remember, the USSR had a nice looking Constitution, too....on paper.
This article is two days old and from the UK. It’s strange that this is receiving no coverage in the US, apparently no mention on talk radio, or even the main internet sites, AFAIK. Nations already block sites and put restrictions on the internet. Though some Americans would doubtless love to see it, I can’t imagine Americans allowing our free speech on the internet to be diluted or determined by an international body.
This move has been discussed before, and received some spotty coverage in the past. I don’t think many know just what this means.
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