Internet Governance (Control)
Internet Governance, ICANN, and WSIS
There is a great article in USA Today on Internet Control, or "Governance." The USA basically invented the Internet through funding its early research, and now controls it through the non-profit, yet US sanctioned, ICANN. The article, which I agree with almost entirely, states "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Well, it ain't broke, but it's changing so rapidly that we need to deal with the change and sticking our heads in the sand isn't a big help!I wrote the opposing view, which I'll probably post here in its entirety later (USA Today willing). It's available here: Ted Demopoulos' USA Today article on Internet Control.
Why is this news? The U.N. World Summit on the Information Society, WSIS, starts tomorrow in Tunisia, and the world is not too happy about the U.S. refusing to relinquish control.
What will happen? Well, if I were a betting man, and somewhere where bets were being taken, I'd bet that ICANN will keep control, but be denationalized. Although their mere existence is contentious, ICANN has done a good job of Internet Governance. Why "change it if it ain't broke?" Well, at very least, we'll need to evolve it. The Internet is a worldwide resource and its governance needs to be International. And let's do our best to keep the bureaucrats out!
posted by Ted Demopoulos at 9:41 AM
Comments on "Internet Governance (Control)"
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Anonymous said ... (Tuesday, November 15, 2005 10:09:00 PM) :
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Ted Demopoulos said ... (Tuesday, November 15, 2005 10:18:00 PM) :
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Sammy G said ... (Wednesday, November 16, 2005 2:40:00 PM) :
post a commentThe Internet should be run by international anarchist hippies, not a bunch of bureaucrats!
I believe you are referencing Jon Postel, who clearly looks like a hippie in his USA Today picture.
Certainly giving a bunch of bureaucrats control, whether US based, international, or extra-terrestrial is a bad idea.
The Internet would be better served by anarchism than strict bureaucratic control as well.
Let me put it this way: control should be International, and as limited as possible. A "Libertarian" Internet, if you will.
This such a contentious yet incredibly important issue. I agree with you Ted: It's gotta change - someday, and slowly. And above all, we need to tread slowly and carefully and avoid politics and bureaucrats.