UN to Take Over Internet?

Webtwink · 12-02-2003, 10:43 AM

A U.N. grab for Internet control?
Proposal expected at global summit in Geneva

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: December 2, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

WASHINGTON – A global summit set for next week in Geneva is expected to provide the venue for a plan to put the Internet under United Nations control.

Developing nations – including China, Syria and Vietnam – are pushing for the U.N. or one of its agencies to regulate the Internet, perhaps as soon as 2005. Diplomats from more than 60 countries plan to take up the issue at the U.N. World Information Summit in Geneva beginning next Wednesday.

At issue are the operations currently run by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, a California group that assigns Internet protocol addresses and oversees major domains, including .com, .net and .org. The group also helps set technical rules for how the Internet operates. Developing nations said their interests would be better served if the Internet were managed by an intergovernmental group, such as the United Nations or one of its arms.

The U.S., represented at the summit by Ambassador David Gross, the State Department's coordinator for international communications and information policy, is opposing the plan.

The summit's goal is to achieve consensus on a draft declaration of principles and draft plan of action, which reportedly includes a recommendation to place the governance of the Internet under the U.N.

"Standardization is one of the essential building blocks of the Information Society," reads the most recent draft of the WSIS Draft Declaration of Principles. "There should be particular emphasis on the development and adoption of international standards."
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Leading the effort is China, which allows its own citizens online access, but only with government surveillance. China has so far been joined in its efforts by representatives of Syria, Egypt, Vietnam and South Africa. Other reports suggest Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and Brazil may be on board, too.

Critics of the global Internet idea say certain nations like China want to take away ICANN's duties and place them under governmental auspices, along with increased control over security and content, placing freedom of press and individual freedom of expression at serious risk.

The summit is expected to attract more than 50 heads of state and 6,000 delegates who will address issues from the digital divide to Internet governance.

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/articl...TICLE_ID=35900

Delete · 12-02-2003, 11:34 AM

that would be a great idea. Im getting tired of ICANN. However they will not be going away anytime soon. If any changes were to be made it would be after the contract with ICANN expires which was just recently renewed so it will be a long wait.

***armstrong*** · 12-02-2003, 11:41 AM

I also find it unlikely that the US government will let this slip to a non-US entity, given its current patriotic, security-conscious mood.

RJ · 12-02-2003, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Leading the effort is China, which allows its own citizens online access, but only with government surveillance. China has so far been joined in its efforts by representatives of Syria, Egypt, Vietnam and South Africa. Other reports suggest Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and Brazil may be on board, too.
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=12260

Critics of the global Internet idea say certain nations like China want to take away ICANN's duties and place them under governmental auspices, along with increased control over security and content, placing freedom of press and individual freedom of expression at serious risk.

Feelings about ICANN aside, this is particularly disturbing. China has a history of blocking Internet access to sites (even Google) and has arrested several citizens for using the Internet to post negative things about the Chinese government. Is this who we want leading this effort?

Elefekt · 12-02-2003, 11:55 AM

I also think this is disturbing. The interenet will be full of restrictions everywhere. It would be like we were all in a communist country. I think that it shouldnt happen and it better not. Kids who need research wont get it, designers wont be able to do anything "creative", messed up people wont have a place to go to. Sites will be run by the government and probably have wont even get to be viewed. BAH this sucks.

slipondajimmy · 12-02-2003, 12:10 PM

yeah i agree about restrictions . There are enough on the net now. But hey the days of a "free" internet are long gone . i I think it would be a real bad move to give control to the UN. didnt the interent start in the US ? why give it up

inflames · 12-02-2003, 12:46 PM

this would be a huge upset for the internet if this goes . i guarntee at least half the sites out there would be blocked. slowly our rights on the internet will be taken away. people who own large amounts of domains would be out money because their sites would be blocked and you can bet they wont be giving refunds. as much as people hate or dislike ICANN they it looks to be like they are keeping the internet a place to speak freely about anything you want . all i have to say is if this goes and china leads the effort we are all screwed.

Webtwink · 12-05-2003, 06:14 AM

Fight for control of the Net erupts at U.N.
Fri 5 December, 2003 12:43

By Bernhard Warner, European Internet Correspondent

LONDON (Reuters) - A controversial plan to grant governments broad controls over the Internet has stolen the spotlight of a United Nations conference on IT next week, where China and Cuba will be among its strongest supporters.

Leaders from nearly 200 countries will convene in Geneva for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) on December 10-12, an inaugural conference with lofty goals to discuss bridging the digital divide and fostering press freedoms.

But a contentious political move to grant an international governing body such as the U.N.'s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) control over Internet governance issues -- from distributing Web site domains to the public to fighting spam -- has all but obscured the more virtuous aspects of the event.

Incubated in a geeky part of the U.S. Department of Defense decades ago, the Internet has become a thriving global marketplace since being fully turned over to the private business community in the early 1990s.

But many in the developing world believe a new approach is needed as the medium enters its teen years, one that will see poorer countries harness new technologies to improve their competitive stance.

ATTACKING STATUS QUO

The most recognisable Internet governance body is a California-based non-profit company, the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Under the new plan, it has the most to lose.

Incorporated in 1998, ICANN oversees management of the Internet's crucial addressing system which matches numerical addresses to familiar Web site addresses such as www.google.com.

While ICANN's oversight has been confined to the decidedly technical matters behind doling out domain names and establishing a domain name dispute resolution system, the group has been criticised roundly for adopting a pro-business approach that neglects the developing world.
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The ITU, a 138-year-old trade body that among other things established country code rules for international telephone dialling, has been put forth by the developing world as the governing body that will best address its needs.

"What we are looking at is the future management of the Internet. It's not about who owns it or who will be regulating the laws, but what is best way to manage what has become a natural resource for all of humanity," a summit official said.

But U.N. officials have distanced themselves from some of the more radical suggestions put forth by member states who would like to see planet-spanning controls on content and taxes.

Still, proponents of the status quo are concerned that tinkering with the Internet now could stifle the medium's commercial potential.

"We do see a role for governments, as is recognised in ICANN's structure. However, we are concerned with any efforts to increase governmental involvement at the expense of private sector leadership," Theresa Swinehart, Counsel for International Legal Affairs for ICANN, told Reuters.

So far, a change in leadership has been bogged down by fractious discussion with a definitive resolution not expected until 2005 when the second WSIS summit is held in Tunisia.

But many believe the new guard has already arrived.

"We are seeing a clear shift from the mid-90s when governments were told to stay away," said Michael Geist, a law professor at University of Ottawa who specialises in Internet governance issues.

"Governments have shown they are very interested in getting involved on a domestic level and now they are looking at the international level."

************************************************** **
Some Concers. At first i thought it was a great ideas as an international body will be controlling the internet. But its proponents are what concerns me. Countries like China and Cuba are its strongest backers, and that is no good news. God knows whats their intentions are.

If countries like Canada or other democratic Nation had proposed it, it wouldn't have generated this much conern.

PokerGuide.com · 12-05-2003, 07:19 AM

Restrictions
Well, cant see that China as a country that allready have restrictions can bring that policy into the UN.

Eh! Who cares, no way that their will be any restrictions.
But it would probably be good if the introduce some ?

DuffMan · 12-05-2003, 07:21 AM

Would the UN controlling the internet really mean they'd be able to restrict any content? It looks like they'd just be taking control of domain registration and the like.

Webtwink · 12-05-2003, 09:35 AM

I don't UN is interested in Controlling Content. It is rather interested in the opposite, but its the countries that are backing it, that might have some vested interests in it.

inflames · 12-05-2003, 10:01 AM

the more i think about this is is pretty much no way it will go , it doesnt matter how bad china wants it to be under the control of the UN and for "restrictions" to be placed . it wont happen , but if it does go and the UN takes control there will have to be different "restrictions" for each Country, the USA is a free country the last time i checked unlike china , that means we have free speech and can put up a website www.****theusa.com and there is nothing that can be done . no matter how hard china and the other countries try that cant change we are FREE malthough i do believe some restrictions are in order. anything illegal should be banned and blocked from the net .

Terry · 12-05-2003, 11:20 AM

We can only hope that it won't go through. If it does I suspect that in the long run there will be radical changes. The change that I would most object to and probably one of the first, is taxes.

Webtwink · 12-06-2003, 07:37 AM

A lot of ppl here talking about restrictions, but I completely believe that no country even the U.S. can place restrictions on .com, as it is completely a part of the world and is essential.

But at the same time, a country can place a restriction on its domains like .US, so it got me thinking how can China place restrictions on the internet for everyone! Its not possible.

It already places restrictions on its citizens anyway.

jane118 · 12-06-2003, 09:04 AM

interesting article..but i dont think it will go out a US entity's control

GTech · 12-06-2003, 10:23 AM

Not to mention if something ever went wrong, we'd have to file countless resolutions that would fail to be enforced for years on end

12-02-2003, 10:43 AM	THREAD STARTER #1 (permalink)
Webtwink Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: United States of America Posts: 1,158	UN to Take Over Internet? A U.N. grab for Internet control? Proposal expected at global summit in Geneva -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: December 2, 2003 1:00 a.m. Eastern © 2003 WorldNetDaily.com WASHINGTON – A global summit set for next week in Geneva is expected to provide the venue for a plan to put the Internet under United Nations control. Developing nations – including China, Syria and Vietnam – are pushing for the U.N. or one of its agencies to regulate the Internet, perhaps as soon as 2005. Diplomats from more than 60 countries plan to take up the issue at the U.N. World Information Summit in Geneva beginning next Wednesday. At issue are the operations currently run by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, a California group that assigns Internet protocol addresses and oversees major domains, including .com, .net and .org. The group also helps set technical rules for how the Internet operates. Developing nations said their interests would be better served if the Internet were managed by an intergovernmental group, such as the United Nations or one of its arms. The U.S., represented at the summit by Ambassador David Gross, the State Department's coordinator for international communications and information policy, is opposing the plan. The summit's goal is to achieve consensus on a draft declaration of principles and draft plan of action, which reportedly includes a recommendation to place the governance of the Internet under the U.N. "Standardization is one of the essential building blocks of the Information Society," reads the most recent draft of the WSIS Draft Declaration of Principles. "There should be particular emphasis on the development and adoption of international standards." ????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/industry-news/12260-un-to-take-over-internet.html Leading the effort is China, which allows its own citizens online access, but only with government surveillance. China has so far been joined in its efforts by representatives of Syria, Egypt, Vietnam and South Africa. Other reports suggest Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and Brazil may be on board, too. Critics of the global Internet idea say certain nations like China want to take away ICANN's duties and place them under governmental auspices, along with increased control over security and content, placing freedom of press and individual freedom of expression at serious risk. The summit is expected to attract more than 50 heads of state and 6,000 delegates who will address issues from the digital divide to Internet governance. http://worldnetdaily.com/news/articl...TICLE_ID=35900

12-02-2003, 11:41 AM	#3 (permalink)
*armstrong* Man from Manila Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: The Net Posts: 6,022	I also find it unlikely that the US government will let this slip to a non-US entity, given its current patriotic, security-conscious mood. __________________ Apollo's excellent 3-letter .BIZ auction; $1 starting bid!

12-02-2003, 11:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
Elefekt Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hawaii Posts: 3,529	I also think this is disturbing. The interenet will be full of restrictions everywhere. It would be like we were all in a communist country. I think that it shouldnt happen and it better not. Kids who need research wont get it, designers wont be able to do anything "creative", messed up people wont have a place to go to. Sites will be run by the government and probably have wont even get to be viewed. BAH this sucks. __________________ Standards Voice - Coming soon...

12-05-2003, 06:14 AM	THREAD STARTER #8 (permalink)
Webtwink Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: United States of America Posts: 1,158	Fight for control of the Net erupts at U.N. Fight for control of the Net erupts at U.N. Fri 5 December, 2003 12:43 By Bernhard Warner, European Internet Correspondent LONDON (Reuters) - A controversial plan to grant governments broad controls over the Internet has stolen the spotlight of a United Nations conference on IT next week, where China and Cuba will be among its strongest supporters. Leaders from nearly 200 countries will convene in Geneva for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) on December 10-12, an inaugural conference with lofty goals to discuss bridging the digital divide and fostering press freedoms. But a contentious political move to grant an international governing body such as the U.N.'s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) control over Internet governance issues -- from distributing Web site domains to the public to fighting spam -- has all but obscured the more virtuous aspects of the event. Incubated in a geeky part of the U.S. Department of Defense decades ago, the Internet has become a thriving global marketplace since being fully turned over to the private business community in the early 1990s. But many in the developing world believe a new approach is needed as the medium enters its teen years, one that will see poorer countries harness new technologies to improve their competitive stance. ATTACKING STATUS QUO The most recognisable Internet governance body is a California-based non-profit company, the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Under the new plan, it has the most to lose. Incorporated in 1998, ICANN oversees management of the Internet's crucial addressing system which matches numerical addresses to familiar Web site addresses such as www.google.com. While ICANN's oversight has been confined to the decidedly technical matters behind doling out domain names and establishing a domain name dispute resolution system, the group has been criticised roundly for adopting a pro-business approach that neglects the developing world. ????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=12260 ????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=12260 The ITU, a 138-year-old trade body that among other things established country code rules for international telephone dialling, has been put forth by the developing world as the governing body that will best address its needs. "What we are looking at is the future management of the Internet. It's not about who owns it or who will be regulating the laws, but what is best way to manage what has become a natural resource for all of humanity," a summit official said. But U.N. officials have distanced themselves from some of the more radical suggestions put forth by member states who would like to see planet-spanning controls on content and taxes. Still, proponents of the status quo are concerned that tinkering with the Internet now could stifle the medium's commercial potential. "We do see a role for governments, as is recognised in ICANN's structure. However, we are concerned with any efforts to increase governmental involvement at the expense of private sector leadership," Theresa Swinehart, Counsel for International Legal Affairs for ICANN, told Reuters. So far, a change in leadership has been bogged down by fractious discussion with a definitive resolution not expected until 2005 when the second WSIS summit is held in Tunisia. But many believe the new guard has already arrived. "We are seeing a clear shift from the mid-90s when governments were told to stay away," said Michael Geist, a law professor at University of Ottawa who specialises in Internet governance issues. "Governments have shown they are very interested in getting involved on a domestic level and now they are looking at the international level." ************************************************ Some Concers. At first i thought it was a great ideas as an international body will be controlling the internet. But its proponents are what concerns me. Countries like China and Cuba are its strongest backers, and that is no good news. God knows whats their intentions are. If countries like Canada or other democratic Nation had proposed it, it wouldn't have generated this much conern.

12-05-2003, 07:21 AM	#10 (permalink)
DuffMan NamePros Regular Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 603	Would the UN controlling the internet really mean they'd be able to restrict any content? It looks like they'd just be taking control of domain registration and the like. __________________ Eric AKA DuffMan [HG Interactive] [ ShoutPro]

12-02-2003, 11:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
Delete Account Suspended Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,104	that would be a great idea. Im getting tired of ICANN. However they will not be going away anytime soon. If any changes were to be made it would be after the contract with ICANN expires which was just recently renewed so it will be a long wait.

12-02-2003, 12:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
slipondajimmy Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Florida Posts: 2,051	yeah i agree about restrictions . There are enough on the net now. But hey the days of a "free" internet are long gone . i I think it would be a real bad move to give control to the UN. didnt the interent start in the US ? why give it up

12-02-2003, 12:46 PM	#7 (permalink)
inflames Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: PA Posts: 1,339	this would be a huge upset for the internet if this goes . i guarntee at least half the sites out there would be blocked. slowly our rights on the internet will be taken away. people who own large amounts of domains would be out money because their sites would be blocked and you can bet they wont be giving refunds. as much as people hate or dislike ICANN they it looks to be like they are keeping the internet a place to speak freely about anything you want . all i have to say is if this goes and china leads the effort we are all screwed.

12-05-2003, 07:19 AM	#9 (permalink)
PokerGuide.com Internet Entrepreneur Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 2,855	Restrictions Well, cant see that China as a country that allready have restrictions can bring that policy into the UN. Eh! Who cares, no way that their will be any restrictions. But it would probably be good if the introduce some ?

12-05-2003, 09:35 AM	THREAD STARTER #11 (permalink)
Webtwink Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: United States of America Posts: 1,158	I don't UN is interested in Controlling Content. It is rather interested in the opposite, but its the countries that are backing it, that might have some vested interests in it.

12-05-2003, 10:01 AM	#12 (permalink)
inflames Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: PA Posts: 1,339	the more i think about this is is pretty much no way it will go , it doesnt matter how bad china wants it to be under the control of the UN and for "restrictions" to be placed . it wont happen , but if it does go and the UN takes control there will have to be different "restrictions" for each Country, the USA is a free country the last time i checked unlike china , that means we have free speech and can put up a website www.****theusa.com and there is nothing that can be done . no matter how hard china and the other countries try that cant change we are FREE malthough i do believe some restrictions are in order. anything illegal should be banned and blocked from the net .

12-05-2003, 11:20 AM	#13 (permalink)
Terry NamePros Regular Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wibaux, Montana USA Posts: 650	We can only hope that it won't go through. If it does I suspect that in the long run there will be radical changes. The change that I would most object to and probably one of the first, is taxes. __________________ T1 Internet Services - Direct U Telecom Directory

12-06-2003, 07:37 AM	THREAD STARTER #14 (permalink)
Webtwink Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: United States of America Posts: 1,158	Restrictions A lot of ppl here talking about restrictions, but I completely believe that no country even the U.S. can place restrictions on .com, as it is completely a part of the world and is essential. But at the same time, a country can place a restriction on its domains like .US, so it got me thinking how can China place restrictions on the internet for everyone! Its not possible. It already places restrictions on its citizens anyway.

12-06-2003, 09:04 AM	#15 (permalink)
jane118 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Earth Posts: 1,233	interesting article..but i dont think it will go out a US entity's control __________________ ============================= ۞۞۞ Browse WebHosting Offers ۞۞۞ www.WHoffers.com

12-06-2003, 10:23 AM	#16 (permalink)
GTech NamePros Regular Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 327	Not to mention if something ever went wrong, we'd have to file countless resolutions that would fail to be enforced for years on end

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