why don't they start there own internet, where they can govern it any way they like. I would sign up for it.

Talk about your broken definition of internet....

It won't be an internet then. Just a really large intranet. The internet is what it is *because* it is global. Not because the US has control.

The US governs the Internet best, if it doesn't govern it. Imagine that day, when the mighty Americans elect a president even crazier than George Bush.

The world can't let it happen, that a globalized thing like the Internet is taken hostage by a nation that isn't able to vote an unable president out of office.

People keep talking about this doomsday scenario, but think about it:

What's the worst that could happen?

This is all completely hypothetical of course, but let's say the worst case scenario happens.

The U.S. decides that it won't allow anything on the Internet to be accessed except what it approves of. Other countries recognize the bias immediately and block out the U.S. completely from their networks.

All that would happen is the U.S. would effectively be removed from everyone else's network. The people hurt most would be the U.S. Not everyone else.

This is again the PR of those corporations, who silently own more parts of the world than just something in the USA. Don't let any of those "news" deceive you. All this is just a political PR show for the benefit of a comparatively very small number of super richs.

They want people to believe: wow, it's the USA that is in control. All the others can hate the USA for that or lick their shoes. So again: PR for hate, for war, be it military or economical. And the common, ordinary people have to pay for it, be it with their lives or with their income.
The corporations, though, can keep up their greedy, inhuman course and shovel more billions onto their international accounts.

joesnow said is best and I am going to quote his words because they are made of gold right now:

Just an attempted power-move by the non-westerners in the UN to obtain some leverage over the U.S. The U.S. is nothing particularly special in regard to human superiority, but even if say..China created it, I wouldn't agree with the UN taking it over, because it's not theirs to take, just because some of the less fortunate countries are quite clearly jealous and interested only as much as a child who's jealous of another child's cool toy.

Surely the world community beyond the US has the capability, resources, and freedom to generate their own Web.

No. In my opinion your are slightly wrong. Everyone has an agenda - including the US. The internet should be free and independant of any government control and should be administered and managed by an independant body. The world community beyond the US (especially China - I'm not Chinese) does have the capability, resources, and freedom to generate their own Web - and it may one day happen because of the US stance.

Hear! Hear! Yeah! to that!

But as it is, it's not the USA that controls the internet - it's multinational corporations (level3, Cogent etc.) orgininally founded in the USA maybe. Today they own the main parts of the important information lines in Europe, too.

So it's not governments who control anything. Governments just rule in obeying to the corporation's wishes.

So I totally agree with you: there has to be some kind of independent body - - if you ever will find one . . . which I doubt.

The UN is a joke and everyone knows it. I don't want to give them control of something I use everyday, I mean I actually want it to continue to work. I've had no problems with the internet thus far and it is working very well.

I do understand that people in other countries might feel uncomfortable with the fact that internet traffic is directed throught the US, but the UN is not the answer.

Isn't it funny how it's usually the US who sees the UN as a joke. What does that say about the state of the world. Instead of trying to improve the UN - just call it a joke.

I'll tell you this, I love living in the US, there isn't any place I'd rather be.

But you are right, one day there will be a one world government, one currency, etc. And if you believe in the Bible then that will be the end of it (Revelations). So, I'm kinda torn when it comes to things like this. Should I want it to come sooner than later? Not sure. I'm not saying I agree with everything that we (the US) do, but I'll take the good with the bad, and I only have one vote.

The only way to improve the UN is to get rid of it. The internet would probably be hijacked and wouldn't work at all, if they ever got their mitts on it. Do the words "Oil for food" strike a chord here?

Screw the U.N.

Do the words "world war" and "genocide" mean anything to you? Granted the UN is not perfect by means at all, but it provides more stability than if it hadn't ever didn't existed. The fact that you're going on about oil and saying get rid of the UN shows just how imature, negative, short sighted and narrow minded you are.

I am strongly against the UN taking control of the Net. The Net doesn't BELONG to anyone, its everyone's net, its whatever you want it to be. It belongs to everyone, yet no one. Keep the net like it is, I fear if the UN takes control of the Net, it will enable them to exert their powers in other ways, via the information highway. Could you imagine, every browser in the world being reprogrammed to go to the UN's site when you load it, regardless of whether you want it to or not? What if you were required to have a certain user/pass before you could use the net, provided to YOU by the UN? Basically, you can use the net if they say you can. Could you imagine certain sites being shut down b/c the UN doesn't agree with them, or they go against some laws the UN votes on for the net? All that enjoy a free internet, join in the fight to protect it. I feel its freedom is threatened by the very idea of the UN taking over.

"The Net doesn't BELONG to anyone"
Yes, as soon as anyone is the US government. You give some arguments that are all in favor of a transfer of the control from the US governement to the UN. Thanks for your help.

if you read my comments thoroughly you would have seen i'm not in favor of ANYONE controlling the net. but okay, if you wanna be anal about it... Find some deserted island, setup a few buildings there with tons of servers and connect the world wirelessly to internet, which is hosted on that island. the only people there are a team of techs who maintain the servers. that way, no one will control the internet, b/c no one owns the island. there. happy?!

The UN works >so< well.
Would this be the 'Food for Oil' internet?
Or the 'Human Rights panel' internet?
Perhaps the 'Rwanda response' internet?

Let the UN do what it does best. Talk incessantly.

But kindly keep them away from something that works well as it is.

Or, if they just can't keep away, create an alternate internet. Run it as you will. See who chooses to link who chooses to stay where they are.

I'd call that fair.

USA #1 #1 IT's called freedom of speach baby! yah! We rule!

And also freedom to be an ass.

That summarises the American arrogance and stupidity in one sentence perfectly. A bunch of clowns who think they should own the frikin world because their rear ends take up more space than anyone else. This nonsense about "freedom of speech is gonna be taken away from us" is BS and result of incorrect media frenzy inciting a attempt to say f**k u world we should control everything (so much for flaming democracy) so that america retain their 'status quo' for internet control. Its the same attitude as microsofts atm "dont like our product you cant have it then" - this ridiculous attitude is childish and arrogant.
I'm found of Betanews but it looks like its articles are also a result of this over hyped BS that has been created by the US government.
If you want to read a unbiased article on real events occurring in the world summit meetings visit any non-US website, - i recommend 'The Register': http://www.theregister.c.../14/net_governance_wsis/

"That summarises the American arrogance and stupidity in one sentence perfectly."

No, your comment SUMMARIZES your ignorance and stupidity, jshrk.

In my opinion, there is nothing at all wrong with the internet as it is right now. You can find basically anything and everything you've ever wanted to know (or see).

And, sense it was the American military which invented the internet, it seems fitting that Americans run it. Dont ya think?

omg... people really think this?

I think the US should hand the internet over to Canada. Canada will respect the wishes of the UN and the rest of the world, while largely still being under the control of the US.

Please, good overlords - lend us your IP's! :P

Only you Kramy would say something so ridiculous. But oh yeah your from Canada.
Canada wouldn't begin to know what to do with the internet. Does Canada know how to do anything to contribute to the rest of the world? Hmmmm

That was a joke man. If you heard "ridiculous", you were right. :P

...when they pry it from our cold, dead fingers. I want the UN managing this like I want al Qaida in my back yard. Controlling the Internet is paramount to maintaining our National Security. We invented it, its ours, and if you want to use it, you're welcome to; but you're gonna follow our rules. Period. Otherwise, go get your own!

That is the single stupidest comment to ever be published on the WORLD Wide Web, very fitting that it came from the US

What an a** you are.

And the British (and some Europeans) invented the WWW at CERN so it's ours ... get off and go back to using telnet ya numpty.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

That was funny.

We wrote about this a while ago. I do agree that we need to control the internet. It is about the only way we will keep our competitive advantage.

Larry Lessig has more about this here.

http://www.illmethinks.c...11/who_should_run_.html

So, so, solly... but doesn't whoever invents / constructs something first-- & as well bears most of the costs while physically retaining most of the infrastructure-- usually get to direct? This is akin to the UN wanting to dictate to say, WalMart or the NFL how to run things just because they expanded with some overseas franchises-- by utilizing the argument that a larger number of spectators / purchasers reside in the rest of the world than in the USA!
If they don't like the product, hey- it's a free world: anyone can develop their own-- whether league, store, internet, whatever: they can set whatever prices, barriers, rules, password protections, etc. they wish.
If a recipient doesn't like the features of someone's free or heavily-discounted product, it's not incumbent on the provider to subsidize a different one, but rather on the receiver to either spend more on a custom job-- or develop their own.
Apart from the fact it'd be sheer folly to place anyone's national security in the hands of someone else--and to boot entity which recently declared that there was no genocide ongoing in Sudan, among numerous examples.
As a consumer, the only other entity i would tolerate dictating policy is maybe the EC: as they tend to be quite heavy-handed in protecting individuals' rights.

The internet is not a product for sale and your lengthy analogy is a load of bull.

Good. Control of the Internet does not belong to the UN. I think this sounds like a much better plan.

Yes, I agree with you.

The internet has become more than just a commodity. It is a global resourse that should be run by a global body. No one country no not even the good ol US of A should dictate how it is run. I hope an accord is met.

I agree with you in part. That's why I think this is a good plan.

I agree with you. Then again, the countries lobbying for global control were places like, oh, China, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and others.. who use the largest national proxies in the world to "block out" conent; the concept of having them in control of the naming body is.. uh, I'm not in favor of it. Say what you will about hte US, but they haven't even blinked at the concept of mass shutdowns of websites because they don't like the content or threatening to pull their registration..

True, but that's US sites that are mostly blocked. The US blocks their sites aswell.

See, it's win win? The global council can agree that the US blocks Saudi Arabian sites, and vice versa. That way everyone can be happy that they own their own network, and nobody will have any idea what the other side is thinking.

Just an attempted power-move by the non-westerners in the UN to obtain some leverage over the U.S. The U.S. is nothing particularly special in regard to human superiority, but even if say..China created it, I wouldn't agree with the UN taking it over, because it's not theirs to take, just because some of the less fortunate countries are quite clearly jealous and interested only as much as a child who's jealous of another child's cool toy.

Surely the world community beyond the US has the capability, resources, and freedom to generate their own Web.

All this after the US donates its time and funds to "get connected" a lot of less fortunate countries, such as MIT's new laptop project for areas that don't have reliable electricity and communications, we do so much to share it openly....our entrepeneurs go way out of their way as a charity in many ways (even though they conduct their business abroad, they do a lot for free too)..and yet they propose this.

I consider it an inappropriate, and ungrateful move by the U.N.
Yes, again, we're nothing special, but the U.S. is also the primary reason the UN exists in the first place, correct me if I'm wrong. If not for us, the 1940's would've been much different.

You're very much correct in one respect. From what I've learned the US did a very good job halting Japan, which if it hadn't would have most definitely resulted in today being "very different". The US played a relatively small role though in regard to Germany and much of Europe.

We are not talking about "control" of the internet - we are talking about "managership" of the internet.

Yep and I agree with you. The internet shouldn't be censored in such a way - I totally agree. But are the US really the best people to decide what's best for the rest of the world is all I'm saying.

Right now, the beauty is the US Government doesn' decide; they got out of the biz when NASA threw it off to Network Solutions years ago. Which means that their isn't a "let's block X" or "let's block Y" (though private carriers may do so) and no registration has been ever "pulled" or removed due to content by a government fixture, instead, courts and lawsuits have pressured those who come down. Has the US Government really ever moved against say, TorrentReactor? Or WhiteHouse.Com porn? Etc.? Nope. I can look at Al-Queda supportive websites or read Al Jezeera. That's the beauty of the way it is now. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the world, it's long been contended that some websites are "against the purposes of the internet" (Saudi Arabia in reference to online Porn) or "Violate the laws and governance of a country" (China, in reference to several "free Tibet" type websites)

Hey, I'd prefer that it be handled the way it is now then let those kind of clowns have an overpowering say in the ./ end output :)

Show me one site the US blocks from an overseas country or a site that goes against the US government for that matter.

Wow, Kramy. After reading your comments, it seems you know everything!

You're completely right. Events like D-Day during WWII were meaningless. Us stupid Americans just wanted to go for a little swim, not to help rid France of Nazis.

Why don't you do us all a favor and pull your head out of your ass?

Since that seems to be such an important point to you...

Please explain the difference.

Kramy has obviously never picked up a history book in his life.. idiot

What a stupid arguement that the world is ENTITLED to the internet because it's now used globally? By the same logic, then the US, along with the rest of the world, should control all the oil fields in the middle east.. I mean, hey.. it's a global commodity now..

they don't care about the websites if they see a website they don't like they will just go beat the crap out of the people that did or put them in jail for apsolutly nothing claiming they were terrorists

I agree the UN should not be involved.

This in *no way* means I think the US should have the control they do now. The internet, when originally formed, was done largley with US money and know-how, but has now grown into an international institution and should be managed as such.

Without the Russians, we would have thrown the yankees into the Atlantic Ocean, where they belong. With or without D-Day - the Soviets would have won the war either way. So much on history.

The Internet has to be governed by an international body. I don't think it's a good idea to let it be governed by people who vote an apehole like Bush into the White House. (You know, that man who was talking about multiple Internets in the election 2004 ;-) )

good idea. throw us americans in the atlatic ocean, where we belong, so the internet could have never even been INVENTED.... Hey, then we wouldnt even have to be disputing these stupid quarells about management of it.

good logic, DAnem.

Boy I have to agree, Kramy your knowledge is a prime example why your in Canada, great education system. Go back to school or stay in because you need it.

DAnem your another idiot!

I thought so...

I can't - they're all gone. I guess you're right though, they don't "block" them, they simply force them to be taken down.

Woo, I got lots of replies! :P

You don't think there are other countries that did more than the US in Europe?

Fine, perhaps you all played a large role. When did you join?

O_o

Did I say they were entitled to it? Let them build their own...help them build their own, and then establish an international body to help connect all of them.

The internet is in a fine state now - now. But everyone has an agenda including the US. I just couldn't be bothered to answer you until now because you obviously hadn't taken enough time to think through what I meant. The fact you can't understand the difference and have posted "see" and stuck your tongue out at me has prompted me to reply - but do some intelligent thinking and try and work it out yourself.

The world is full of them, even if they don't know it.

Hey hey, I'm in Canada... Although I am from Ireland so I'll forgive you :-p And the Internet is fine the way it is, as long as governments are not running it I guess.

So true. lol

I wonder how much smaller these boxes can go.

I don't know. One time they got close to 40% size.

All the posts were screens high.

I love these non-americans who think they know better then americans who should be president...and they actually have the gall to call americans arrogant...often in the same breath.

Hmm his could get interesting.

Interesting, yet oh so hard to achieve!

So hard to achieve, yet so interesting :p

I don't think you'd want some kinda "anti-west" groups having any sort of control over the internet, and the UN is full of 'em. Whacko islamo-fascists will blow themselves up just to kill one north-american guy. You gotta stay ahead of the ball with these folks. Hey! You!...wake up!

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