Plan for UN to run internet

[Andrew Rothman]

acceptable boundaries to freedom of expression.

There are no acceptable boundaries to freedom of expression.

 

[tyme]

To clarify, the UN wouldn't be controlling things like popup ads. The plan was/is to investigate turning ICANN functions over to the UN.

Basically, this means the UN would run top-level DNS servers (hostname to ip translation) and netblock assignment. Only the former really affects most people significantly. More than likely the UN would run both with roughly the same policies that guide ICANN now, only they might increase fees to turn the internet into a revenue generating machine.

There'd probably be a bit of revolt on principle, but the likely consequences are price increases for domain registration. You'd still get spam and popups, and the UN wouldn't protect you from viruses either.

 

[BerettaNut92]

I wonder when the UN is going to tax air to control the common cold.

 

[Don Galt]

Yeah, what happens when the UN takes over ICANN functions?

Gun organizations can no longer register for domain names. NRA.org is gone when renewal comes up.

Sex organizations cannot have an internet presense.

Anti-communist organizations come under pressure.

People will be shut down, or have their domain service revoked, for "broadcasting" their internet service into china.

ETc.

Its a bad idea. ICANN Sucks, but the UN can only be worse.

 

[RocketMan]

The best way to take down the UN has nothing to do with hacking their computers.
It only requires a team of "eleet fightin' men" to infiltrate the UN building and remove all the copiers and laser printers.
The UN would collapse in a day.