The U.N.'s Internet Power Grab

http://online.wsj.com ^ | June 18, 2011 | Gordon Crovitz

[listenhillary]

It's easy to understand why countries like Russia, China and Iran would want to rewire the Internet, cutting off access to their citizens and undermining the idea of a World Wide Web. What's more surprising is that U.S. diplomats are letting authoritarian regimes hijack an obscure U.N. agency to undermine how the Internet works, including for Americans.

The failure by U.S. negotiators to stop attacks on the Internet became known only through documents leaked last week. They concern a U.N. agency known as the International Telecommunications Union. Founded in 1865 to regulate the telegraph, the body (now part of the U.N.) is planning a World Conference on International Telecommunications in December, when the 193 U.N. member countries, each of which has a single vote, could use the International Telecommunications Regulations to take control of the Internet. The U.N. process is mind-numbing, but as Vincent Cerf, one of the founders of the Web, recently told Congress, this U.N. involvement means "the open Internet has never been at a higher risk than it is now." -

[BuffaloJack]

Withdraw from the UN. Problem solved.

[Ferris]

Because you are only allowed to know the information that your masters and rulers deem that you should know...

For those individuals know what's best for you. Always and forever...

[Standing Wolf]

What's more surprising is that U.S. diplomats are letting authoritarian regimes hijack an obscure U.N. agency to undermine how the Internet works, including for Americans.

There's nothing at all surprising about this development: the U.S. State Department has been saturated with Marxists for decades. They know they can't persuade us, so they're doing their worst to silence us.

I say we expel them to Cuba, North Korea, and communist China.

[Tzimisce]

Yeah - it’s too bad Obama gave them the internet. Now we’re going to be told how to use our own invention.

Oh well - go pay your taxes. The UN needs the money. :)

[bayouranger]

Obvious to the proles.

[af_vet_rr]

What's more surprising is that U.S. diplomats are letting authoritarian regimes hijack an obscure U.N. agency to undermine how the Internet works, including for Americans.

Why is this surprising? Lamar Smith, a Republican Congressman from my area, was trying to push SOPA through, which would make it very easy for the government and private companies to get websites shut down, including places like Free Republic.

[DarkWaters]

Ping.

[stevie_d_64]

Follow the money...

These thug countries want a piece of the pie...Everyone loves pie, right???

“What topic draws in the most money from internet usage???”

“And who hosts the most of those websites???”