Is the UN aggressive takeover of the internet a good thing?

[Drizzy]

"Old allies in world politics, representatives from the UK and US sat just feet away from each other, but all looked straight ahead as Hendon explained the EU had decided to end the US government's unilateral control of the internet and put in place a new body that would now run this revolutionary communications medium."

I wonder how this will change any government policies around the world - as the US ambassador asks - "even on technical details, the industry will have to follow government-set policies, UN-set policies"?"

Link

So, do you guys think the UN will do a better or worse job than the US at running things? Given the way they handle most things - I think this move will not be for the best...

 

[bamacre]

Like everything that was once cool, the internet will become something not.

 

[cKGunslinger]

Well, if there one group you can count on to not fvck things up, it's the UN. :roll:


I'd just as soon give full control and power to Google.

 

[Todd33]

Sounds like a molehill. Hoe does anyone control the internet?

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Todd33
Sounds like a molehill. Hoe does anyone control the internet?

By issuing networks and domain names.

 

[owensdj]

Todd33, it's possible that new international body will have the power to do things like give control of the anandtech.com domain to someone else.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Possibly...maybe that would get the FBI the fvck out of porn. Unfortunately the UN does NOT support many US rights and freedoms (such as gun ownership) so I believe we'd merely be exchanging one fascist regime for another in the end.

 

[cKGunslinger]

Originally posted by: Todd33
Sounds like a molehill. Hoe does anyone control the internet?

How about regulating and assigning domains and subnets? Conforming to and proposing new standard, protocols, URIs? Distributing IP classes?

You are aware the internet is not some box with an on/off switch, correct? Nor is it a totally abstract concept that exists in the minds of everyone online, powered by illegal mps and pr0n.

 

[maddogchen]

If they want control of the internet, tell them to make their own internet. Besides its time for a better one anyway.

 

[Warthog912]

Originally posted by: maddogchen
If they want control of the internet, tell them to make their own internet. Besides its time for a better one anyway.

viva la revolution!!

 

[RabidMongoose]

Originally posted by: maddogchen
If they want control of the internet, tell them to make their own internet. Besides its time for a better one anyway.

I agree, they should stop trying to steal it. Why would we want a thief to control the Internet?

If the UN gets a takeover of the Internet, then I'm afraid that it's going to be a disaster.

 

[Drizzy]

what pisses me off about this is the fact that the US has paid for the majority of establishing the internet - then other countries found out "hey what a great idea" and jumped on.. well, if they want control of it then they should pay us for all the R&D we put into it and all of the $$ for the infrastructure that we developed and implemented. Lets just give them control of this and start Internet 2...

 

[bamacre]

I lean torward the belief that it doesn't matter who "controls" the internet. Future versions will soon take away our freedoms and give us "security."

 

[CKent]

Tit for tat... we're in Iraq, they get teh intarweb. Sounds fair enough.

 

[SMOGZINN]

Originally posted by: maddogchen
If they want control of the internet, tell them to make their own internet. Besides its time for a better one anyway.

I agree, if we did that most countries would simply continue to use ours. Some would try to create their own, and it will get bogged down in UN bureaucracy until it simply fades away because the host countries get tired of trying to keep two protocols in place for something that already works.

 

[cKGunslinger]

Originally posted by: SMOGZINN

I agree, if we did that most countries would simply continue to use ours. Some would try to create their own, and it will get bogged down in UN bureaucracy until it simply fades away because the host countries get tired of trying to keep two protocols in place for something that already works.

The "Bandwith for Food" scandals will be devastating..

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Does every politician in Europe have like a 4 inch penis? Get over it.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: cKGunslinger

Originally posted by: SMOGZINN

I agree, if we did that most countries would simply continue to use ours. Some would try to create their own, and it will get bogged down in UN bureaucracy until it simply fades away because the host countries get tired of trying to keep two protocols in place for something that already works.

The "Bandwith for Food" scandals will be devastating..

:laugh:

 

[Atheus]

Originally posted by: Drizzy
what pisses me off about this is the fact that the US has paid for the majority of establishing the internet - then other countries found out "hey what a great idea" and jumped on..

In all fairness the internet is now an international thing, even though it was invented by america. Do you feel like giving the UK back all the tech it paid to develop? We could start with the internal combustion engine, steam engine, electric engine and jet engine...

Edit: this doesn't mean i think the UN should run the root servers.

 

[RabidMongoose]

Originally posted by: Atheus

Originally posted by: Drizzy
what pisses me off about this is the fact that the US has paid for the majority of establishing the internet - then other countries found out "hey what a great idea" and jumped on..

In all fairness the internet is now an international thing, even though it was invented by america. Do you feel like giving the UK back all the tech it paid to develop? We could start with the internal combustion engine, steam engine, electric engine and jet engine...

Edit: this doesn't mean i think the UN should run the root servers.

Nobody is saying that the UK or anyone else can't build their own 'internet'. The UK can keep whatever combustion engine, steam engine, electric engine, or jet engine it has developed. However, since much time has passed, people would always build their own engines. But nobody should steal the engines that the UK has already made.

This is simply theft. If US assets are taken away, then the US should just take over all of Canada in exchange.

 

[Atheus]

Originally posted by: RabidMongoose

Originally posted by: Atheus

Originally posted by: Drizzy
what pisses me off about this is the fact that the US has paid for the majority of establishing the internet - then other countries found out "hey what a great idea" and jumped on..

In all fairness the internet is now an international thing, even though it was invented by america. Do you feel like giving the UK back all the tech it paid to develop? We could start with the internal combustion engine, steam engine, electric engine and jet engine...

Edit: this doesn't mean i think the UN should run the root servers.

Nobody is saying that the UK or anyone else can't build their own 'internet'. The UK can keep whatever combustion engine, steam engine, electric engine, or jet engine it has developed. However, since much time has passed, people would always build their own engines. But nobody should steal the engines that the UK has already made.

Sure, but what we're talking about here is ownership of the concept, not any actual physical thing which can be stolen... obviously the internet infrastructure in, say, europe is paid for by europe not america yet america has control over (small but significant) aspects of it's operation.

This is simply theft. If US assets are taken away, then the US should just take over all of Canada in exchange.

Do it. I'm sure blair will provide support.

 

[RabidMongoose]

Originally posted by: Atheus
Sure, but what we're talking about here is ownership of the concept, not any actual physical thing which can be stolen... obviously the internet infrastructure in, say, europe is paid for by europe not america yet america has control over (small but significant) aspects of it's operation.

If it was developed by the US and set up by the US and then other countries decided to hop on board, then it should still belong to the US. It was a US invention. It's not the concept - other countries could freely set up their own Internet if they wish it so.

Maybe Blair could give the US Big Ben and Buckingham Palace and some other buildings for some compensation.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: maddogchen
If they want control of the internet, tell them to make their own internet. Besides its time for a better one anyway.

Agreed.

 

[rahvin]

Lets be clear, the internet is a collections of networks. The US only created the network in the US. Sure DARPA funded the creation of the protocols and methods of how the internet works, but the actual infastructure was built by each individual nation. There is a legitimate arguement for handing control of the names and numbers of the internet over to the ITU. THe problem I see with that solution though is that nations seeking to censor the internet would then have the ability. ICANN clearly doesn't work, the US should move to the negotiating table to create an international panel to administer the names and numbers that is strictly prohibited from allowing any censorship.

 

[raildogg]

The only thing the UN should ever take over is the sanitation department of the Bronx Zoo.

Since they're so full of sh*t!