EU says internet could fall apart or split
There is a very interesting debate looming on the horizon for all of us in the industry.
I will reserve my direct commentary for now due to my position, but it would be a dire shame to see politics interfere with the growth and openness of what I would consider one of man's greatest achievements in history.
Some quotes of interest for all of you to consider are…
Viviane Reding, European IT commissioner, says that if a multilateral approach cannot be agreed, countries such as China, Russia, Brazil and some Arab states could start operating their own versions of the internet and the ubiquity that has made it such a success will disappear.
“We have to have a platform where leaders of the world can express their thoughts about the internet,” she said. “If they have the impression that the internet is dominated by one nation and it does not belong to all the nations then the result could be that the internet falls apart.”
The US argues that many of the states demanding a more open internet are no fans of freedom of expression.
And then…
David Gross, who headed the US delegation at the Geneva talks, said untested models of internet governance could disrupt the 250,000-plus networks, all using the same technical standards (TCP/IP), which allows over a billion people to get online for 27bn daily user sessions.
“The internet has been a remarkably reliable and stable network of networks and it has grown at a rate unprecedented in human history,” he said. “What we are looking for is a continued evolution of the internet that is technically driven. We do not think the creation of new or use of existing multilateral institutions in the governance of essentially technical institutions is a way to promote technological change.”
and you can then round it out with this…
Calls from Argentina for a continuing debate while Icann is restructured are believed to have garnered support from countries such as Canada which do not like the perceived power that the US has over the internet but are wary of opening up the web to overall state control.
Just before the meeting in Tunis, there will be a three-day gathering of bureaucrats to try to thrash out a deal on internet governance. Getting the parties - especially the US - to agree to anything looks like a near impossible task but Mrs Reding believes it is crucial to find common ground or see the global communication network disintegrate.
If any of this concerns you, and it should, make sure your ICANN constituents, Registrar, or anyone willing to listen in anyway is aware of what you think. Now is not the time to remain quiet.
