US, EU set for showdown over control of the Internet

Toastburner B · 10-06-2005, 01:57 PM

This came up in another forum I go to, and I wanted to see what people here think. There a few more international people in this forum than there are in the other.

Two news articles relate to this discussion. One is the The Guardian, the other is from CNN. The Guardian is pro-EU in it's stance, and the CNN one, while it has a more neutral tone, in my opinion, seems to be slated to the US side, so you see both parts here.

The European Union has, and I quote this from the Guardian Article, "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."

What does this mean? Well, according to a US official in the CNN article, the EU seems to be in favor of "wresting control of domain names from the U.S.-based Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, and placing it with an intergovernmental group, possibly under the United Nations."

Information about ICANN can be found here.

The U.S., needless to say, is less than happy with this. Ambassador David Gross, the U.S. coordinator for international communications and information policy at the State Department, said ""We will not agree to the U.N. taking over the management of the Internet. Some countries want that. We think that's unacceptable." And why not? The US developed the Internet, and has been the traditional regulator of the Internet.

What do you guys think? Does the EU have the right to dicate to the US how to control the Internet? Should the US conceed and agree to have the Internet run by a coalition of nations?

EDIT: To answer your question, Pryos, go here.

Incendius · 10-06-2005, 02:00 PM

Two things. I think that neither the EU or the US should control the internet besides cracking down on illegal activity.

Second how did you post a thread if your banned?

MasterOfMagic · 10-06-2005, 02:23 PM

Fake banned

No, I don't think the E.U. has the right to dicate anything the U.S. does. Much less take away something that it created. The U.S. should remain in control of it.

Osterbaum · 10-06-2005, 03:40 PM

The UN should gain control of it. Not the US nor the EU. And as far as I understood, EU's aim was to give the control to the UN. Right? If not, well then screw the EU. But also case screw the US. I don't think it's good enough a reason to say 'we created it so we are allowed to control it alone'. Shared control ie. UN control is my stance.

TheSpacePope · 10-06-2005, 03:47 PM

I think that since it is a worldwide information network, then perhaps a unified coalition should control it. The fact is, that other countries depend on the internet and they need it as much as we do, so instead of trying to make a buck, we should show a little diplomacy and share the internet with the world. It would certianly make the opinion of the world toward the us a hell of a lot lighter if we just let them have it, instead of looking like a petulant child grasping at the toy he is unwilling to share.

that got a little heavy there.
*shakes booty
that ought to lighten things up a bit

Fifthfiend · 10-06-2005, 04:03 PM

What I don't get is if the US has the servers that run the whole thing, how is the EU supposed to take control of it? I mean, build a parallel system and just bypass the US entirely, or what? Is that even possible?

And doing it over the head of the US through the UN seems like someone totally forgot about the US Security Council vote.

As far as whether they should, I mean... I'd need a clearer picture of why they want to. Is it just the British pissed off because we took .com and they have stupid .co.uk, or what?

shiney · 10-06-2005, 04:41 PM

It's just politics. Everything is running fine, and the UNited States isn't making a quick buck off of regulating the internet, or what have you. Furthermore while I am sure part of fifthfiend's comment was tongue in cheek, there are so many registrars these days that anydamnone can get a domain from fucking bizarre-o world for like 5 bucks a year. The only reasons I can honestly see that the EU would want to change a system that works are for a power play (No fair that you get it all! We want a piece!) or due to paranoia (Uh oh, Big Brother up in our international hizzouse.) - either way it always seems to come down to situations like this.

DarthZeth · 10-07-2005, 03:15 AM

The US doesn�t actually CONTROL the internet. They have legal jurisdiction over the root servers, but they don't do a whole lot of controlling. Its sort of like sitting in the driver seat of your car, only you're not holding the wheel. You know, like how I drive.

Most of the objections I�ve seen to the US control is actually objections to the LACK of control. China wants censorship abilities. Brazil (I think it was) doesn't want the .xxx TLD. Some other complaints included the lack of significant consecutive IP blocks left (all I can say to that is, you were late to the party and all the beer's gone. sorry 'bout that. But IPv6 should take care of that).

Otherwise, though, the US built the damn thing and then let everyone use it, so I don't know why anyone is complaining. . How the Internet works is no secret. The standards are open. If some country wants to start EuroNet or what have you, they are 100% able to. And hell, if EuroNet is better then The Internet, I might just sign up for it!

And fifth, yes, it is possible to create a second network. Even as recently as the dial up days, there used to be many exclusive networks, like Prodigy. Ultimately, it failed and connected to the internet, but the technological aspect is 100% doable. It�s just a matter of dialing into THIS bunch of computers instead of THAT bunch of computers.

ZERO. · 10-09-2005, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarthZeth

The US doesn�t actually CONTROL the internet. They have legal jurisdiction over the root servers, but they don't do a whole lot of controlling. Its sort of like sitting in the driver seat of your car, only you're not holding the wheel. You know, like how I drive

If this is the case what the hell is the U.N going to do.

Osterbaum · 10-07-2005, 08:17 AM

Powerplay or not, just for the sake of an agreement, it would be perhaps wise to give the control to UN or some kind of other coalition.

I don't suppose I have anything else to say for now.

10-06-2005, 01:57 PM	#1
Toastburner B Toasty has left the building Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Hiding...because I don't want to die. Posts: 3,936	US, EU set for showdown over control of the Internet This came up in another forum I go to, and I wanted to see what people here think. There a few more international people in this forum than there are in the other. Two news articles relate to this discussion. One is the The Guardian, the other is from CNN. The Guardian is pro-EU in it's stance, and the CNN one, while it has a more neutral tone, in my opinion, seems to be slated to the US side, so you see both parts here. The European Union has, and I quote this from the Guardian Article, "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." What does this mean? Well, according to a US official in the CNN article, the EU seems to be in favor of "wresting control of domain names from the U.S.-based Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, and placing it with an intergovernmental group, possibly under the United Nations." Information about ICANN can be found here. The U.S., needless to say, is less than happy with this. Ambassador David Gross, the U.S. coordinator for international communications and information policy at the State Department, said ""We will not agree to the U.N. taking over the management of the Internet. Some countries want that. We think that's unacceptable." And why not? The US developed the Internet, and has been the traditional regulator of the Internet. What do you guys think? Does the EU have the right to dicate to the US how to control the Internet? Should the US conceed and agree to have the Internet run by a coalition of nations? EDIT: To answer your question, Pryos, go here. __________________ I came, I saw, I got team-killed. A lot. Last edited by Toastburner B; 10-06-2005 at 02:10 PM.

10-06-2005, 02:00 PM	#2
Incendius Magikoopa Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,937	Two things. I think that neither the EU or the US should control the internet besides cracking down on illegal activity. Second how did you post a thread if your banned? __________________ If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete. - Sun Tzu The art of war

10-06-2005, 03:40 PM	#4
Osterbaum The revolution will be memed! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: FIN Posts: 5,967	The UN should gain control of it. Not the US nor the EU. And as far as I understood, EU's aim was to give the control to the UN. Right? If not, well then screw the EU. But also case screw the US. I don't think it's good enough a reason to say 'we created it so we are allowed to control it alone'. Shared control ie. UN control is my stance. __________________ D is for Dirty Commie!

10-06-2005, 03:47 PM	#5
TheSpacePope Gigity Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lincoln. Nebraska Posts: 1,536	I think that since it is a worldwide information network, then perhaps a unified coalition should control it. The fact is, that other countries depend on the internet and they need it as much as we do, so instead of trying to make a buck, we should show a little diplomacy and share the internet with the world. It would certianly make the opinion of the world toward the us a hell of a lot lighter if we just let them have it, instead of looking like a petulant child grasping at the toy he is unwilling to share. that got a little heavy there. shakes booty that ought to lighten things up a bit __________________ Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust*

10-06-2005, 04:03 PM	#6
Fifthfiend for all seasons Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 19,409	What I don't get is if the US has the servers that run the whole thing, how is the EU supposed to take control of it? I mean, build a parallel system and just bypass the US entirely, or what? Is that even possible? And doing it over the head of the US through the UN seems like someone totally forgot about the US Security Council vote. As far as whether they should, I mean... I'd need a clearer picture of why they want to. Is it just the British pissed off because we took .com and they have stupid .co.uk, or what? __________________ check out my buttspresso

10-06-2005, 02:23 PM	#3
MasterOfMagic ahahah Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,456	Fake banned No, I don't think the E.U. has the right to dicate anything the U.S. does. Much less take away something that it created. The U.S. should remain in control of it.

10-06-2005, 04:41 PM	#7
shiney Derrrrrrrrrrrrrp. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The land of fartz and buttz Posts: 8,266	It's just politics. Everything is running fine, and the UNited States isn't making a quick buck off of regulating the internet, or what have you. Furthermore while I am sure part of fifthfiend's comment was tongue in cheek, there are so many registrars these days that anydamnone can get a domain from fucking bizarre-o world for like 5 bucks a year. The only reasons I can honestly see that the EU would want to change a system that works are for a power play (No fair that you get it all! We want a piece!) or due to paranoia (Uh oh, Big Brother up in our international hizzouse.) - either way it always seems to come down to situations like this. __________________ boop

10-07-2005, 08:17 AM	#10
Osterbaum The revolution will be memed! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: FIN Posts: 5,967	Powerplay or not, just for the sake of an agreement, it would be perhaps wise to give the control to UN or some kind of other coalition. I don't suppose I have anything else to say for now. __________________ D is for Dirty Commie!