[NetBehaviour] US, UN, EU Battle for Control of the Net

[marc]

*US, UN, EU Battle for Control of the Net*

The US government has deemed "unacceptable" a proposal from the European 
Union that would put the Internet under United Nations control. 
Currently, the core routing computers that run the Internet and house 
its master directories are run by ICANN, a private organization that is 
supervised by the US Department of Commerce.

Some countries argue that placing the Internet under international 
management would better serve developing countries that are increasingly 
relying on networked communication. The US counters that doing so could 
make the Internet vulnerable to the whims of rogue countries such as 
North Korea, or larger powers such as China that don't support 
principles of free speech.

The matter of Internet control is an important one, as that control 
implies substantial power. A body with such power (as the Commerce 
Department has now) can easily shut down entire domains or filter out 
certain content on a global level. As more people around the world come 
to rely on Internet communications, online access will be increasingly 
seen as a fundamental resource like water and energy. Individuals will 
regard access as a human right; nations will consider it a strategic 
asset. Denial of Internet access by one country to another could one day 
even be considered grounds for international sanctions, embargoes and 
even war.

more...
http://futurewire.blogspot.com/2005/09/us-un-eu-battle-for-control-of-net.html 

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