US grip on the Internet challenged

[donsu]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/GJ13Aa01.html

A high-stakes battle is raging over who should control the Internet, the world's most powerful communication tool that has arguably become an important vehicle of globalization.

Not the Americans, is the message from the rest of the world. Last week, high-level talks in Geneva failed to resolve the dispute as the European Union broke ranks with the US government and joined Brazil, China and Iran in demanding an end to America's supervision of the Internet.

-snip-

Brazil, Iran, Cuba and China want the creation of a new international body to govern the Internet, either through the United Nations or an independent organization. The Americans, deeply allergic to even the smell of the United Nations, vehemently oppose handing over this powerful tool to a bunch of bickering bureaucrats, many of whom will surely rise from countries on Washington's blacklist.

Incidentally, Iran - currently the cause of American ulcers - was active in Geneva opposing the domination of any "single government" in running the Internet. Brazil was equally vehement in its statement when it said bluntly: "On Internet governance, three words come to mind: lack of legitimacy. In our digital world, only one nation decides for all of us."
-snip-
-------------------------------

I could go with a revolving group of countries running the net. so no one country or group of countries could get sole control of the net.

[MojoXN]

1. Internet? We don't need no stinking internet!

http://netsukuku.freaknet.org/?p=FAQ

Check THIS out. Beautiful alternative to the net, in my opinion. Much less disruptable, and much more distributed.

MojoXN

[shawn703]

2. I'd be surprised if the US gave up control

The only thing I could see happening is the other nations forming an alternate network to compete with the Internet. One network would have the US, the other the rest of the world. Although I'm sure those in power in this country would love it if they knew their citizens could no longer visit foreign news sites to get their information.

[Missy M]

3. It should be a group of countries running the internet, after all it is

called the World Wide Web. Why does the US think they run the world when we are just part of it, not the whole. So the Americans vehemently oppose handing over this powerful tool to a bunch of bickering bureaucrats. We already have our own bunch of bickering bureaucrats so why not add more to the pot.

[skypilot]

4. I'm not so sure how I feel...

...about China and Iran being in the pot. Doesn't China already block access to certain sites for its own citizens.

[Missy M]

5. I don't think China could dictate what the US or other countries do.......

with the internet. If China already blocks access to certain sites for its own citizens then the US running the internet has no influence over China, so I'm sure China would have no influence over the US.

[undeterred]

6. Anyone but the US

the right wing will censor us if we control it.