Who Should Rule The Internet?
from the not-me dept
The well known libertarian think tank, the Cato Institute is looking at the question of whether or not the UN should gain control over the internet. This was the big question last week at the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society. The fear is that giving control over the UN would end up with rules that went against everything that made the internet successful. Trying to appease every country would mean that none would end up being particularly happy. Not surprisingly, the folks at Cato support leaving the internet as open as possible, and suggest that to solve the "biggest" problem about jurisdiction, you just use the location of origin.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Internet is public domain
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Internet is public domain
Pop quiz: Who invented the Internet?
Answer: The U.S. government. I know that's not very fashionable these days to give credit to the U.S. or its government, but the truth is the Internet would not exist without a lot of bright people working for and being funded by Uncle Sam.
And as far as turning the Internet over to the United Nations, that just makes me want to laugh. This is the same United Nations that "oversaw" the Iraqi oil-for-peace program which merely funneled oil money back into the existing dictatorial regime at the same time lining the pockets of those who (with no oversight whatsoever) administered the billions of revenues. Obviously this is a giant tangent, but suffice to say the United Nations is a deeply corrupt kleptocracy operating under a pathetically thin veneer of do-good -for-the-third-world socialism.
The U.S. government gave birth to the internet. It was overcapitalized and overbuilt during the 90s bubble -- but now begins the important part, the long 30-year build out. To understand this cycle, study the boom and bust cycle of the American train system.
Those who don't like the Internet as it currently exists are extended a formal invitation to create their own network. Nobody says you have to plug into the "Internet" -- just start your own. France, only a few years ago, dismissed the Internet, saying it's own Minitel system was the answer. France is arrogant, ignorent -- but worst of all, pathetically stagnant. The Minitel system had the whiffy odour of a dead corpse about it since the moment I heard of it.
So let's hear it for the genious of the American government. Let's hear it for the excess of the free market. And let's hear it for a dynamic, unencumbered 30-year rollout of an amazing transformative infrastructure that will not be crippled by the small-minded likes of those at the United Nations or any other corner of the planet still in denial that the global economy has left the station, being pulled by the strong engines of American growth and innovation.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Internet is public domain
as tot he oil for peace, while i dont like the un, your usa fed govt did provide sadam with millions in credit, the raw materials to make chemical weapons & the support during his war on iran. i agree the un is corrupt, but equally the usagovt is just as corrupt & hypocritical.
unfortunately the internet is increasingly being controlled by telco & cable companies, trying to increase their vertical market share ie control everything, including content. amerika is still in 1st gear, partly due to the social cutbaks & military spending of the bush fascists.
if you want fast rollout, look at sth korea or japan.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Internet is public domain
Perhaps you remember where the Web started?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
the Islamic net
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Two internets
An Open Source processor is being developed which should off set Palladium (aka, TCPA; aka NGSCB.) I for one don't look forward to using a computer over which I don't have total control. It's bad enough that I have to delouse my puter periodically to get rid of all the web-lice, web-mites, and web-fleas placed there by sites trying to "better serve me."
You know, it's kinda like going to a neighbor's house where you dread sitting on her furniture because you just know every parasite known to man is going to crawl onto your clothes and eventually into your hair.
The whole time there you're trying to remember the exact route to the nearest drug store to buy two or three bottles of Quell.
Sorry to be off topic here but, cookies are just a pet peeve of mine which I don't seem to have a lot of control over preventing their placement onto my puter. Disgusting things! I'm starting to itch just thinking about them.
I've migrated away from XP to Linux just to avoid the intrusiveness of folks who use MicroSoft's products and Winners products in general. I've discovered the pure pleasure of using my mind again. What an experience! Everyone should try it, just once.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Two internets
The rules of engagement on the Net ARE being influenced by telcos and cable companies. But their power is limited both by the impact of individual innovation and the dirge-like pace of the regulatory bodies on which they rely.
Should the UN control the Internet? The bigger question is can the Internet even be controlled, and if so, who would really want to. ICANN for all of the knocks it gets, is wise to keep its role fairly limited - security being an area where ICANN has been notably absent.
Microsoft may indeed be reshaping the average user's network experience in its own image. But Microsoft too is limited by the free will and innovation of individual users. The company may have stepped up to the plate in trying to fix or patch old security flaws, but increasingly it appears that the only right thing for Microsoft to do is to start with a fresh OS and User experience model - legacy architectures be damned.
Point being that controlling the net is a lot like controlling nature: I'll mow my yard, you might not mow yours, and sure enough we both have to deal with droughts, pests, and the regulations of our local homeowner's association. In the meantime, while you're on my little slice of nature you're welcome to hang in a hammock or lounge by the manicured garden. When I'm in yours I'll be careful to keep the c--p off my shoes.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Two internets
You can completely control cookies with a little program called CookieWall.
http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/cookie.htm
It's very easy to use and uses little resources.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
It is already 'ruled'
And it also has the SAME 'golden rule' that rules any Government body - He who has the gold makes the rules.
As long as there is a court where disagreements can be acted on in a timely matter and by the 'rule of law' (that is what a Government CAN do), no further involvement is needed.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It is already 'ruled'
No it's not. There is no "RFC police". If Microsoft suddenly decides to ship email software, for example, that uses its own proprietary protocol rather than SMTP, in the hopes of forcing everyone to switch to Windows, no one has any power to stop them, except for the customers, but they've already been brainwashed (mainly by the press) into believing that there are no alternatives to Windows.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in chronology ]