21 Reasons ([info]21reasons) wrote,
@ 2005-11-15 21:27:00
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Current mood: tired

When people get in the way of politics
The Register has an article about Masood Khan, and how he's going to save the Internet. It's uplifting to hear that sometimes politicians and diplomats can be coaxed around all the political issues that often seem to stop things getting done. Mind you it doesn't sound like much is going to be achieved anytime soon, but at least things are moving. In addition, wouldn't it be nice if it were something like world peace rather than Internet governance? Still, something's better than nothing.


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God Save America
[info]avizandum
2005-11-21 03:09 pm UTC (link)
I can't help it. For all the faults of the companies involved, I'd rather that the US kept control of the basic infrastructure and domain name allocation etc... It's not that I'm saying China and the Saudis have any ulterior motives, you understand. But they do...

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Because No-one Else Will
[info]silicon_owl
2005-11-23 01:45 pm UTC (link)
If the option was have the US do it or have China and the Saudis do it then I'd agree with you. However what most people want is much wider control with devolution of a lot of power to the CCTLD's. Can't say I'm surprised that it didn't happen though. People generally don't like giving up power.

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Re:
[info]avizandum
2005-11-27 01:17 pm UTC (link)
It's pretty much the case that this *is* the choice: liberal-democratic America or a greater role and source of influence for the liberty-hating autocracies. The USA won't cave on free speech so long as they have control. Fine by me. If we can't be trusted to preserve our liberties, then we'll have to put up with the Americans doing it until we can.

The one and only thing that the opponents of continuing US control have right is that this is a profoundly political issue, with great and irreversible consequences.

Any system which allows the Chinese, Iranians and Saudis in particular any influence at all - even through a role for Europe - will soon see more and more influence traded to them in return for economic advantages to the voting participants.

If someone wants tyrannies to have more say in how knowledge is communicated, then I for one would absolutely back their right to build their own global infrastructure for a more limited route for information exchange. It will work just as well in competition with the free version of the west as the same countries' illiberal societies and economies did.

Perhaps every router could have assigned to it a mullah, a people's commissar, a guardian of the revolution and host of other, veto-enabled censors... that would keep the Saudis, Chinese and others satisfied, I dare say.

And if I sound irritated, then it's because of the lazily fashionable anti-Americanism of "Because No-one Else Will". Satire is a fine weapon, but you're using the wrong bullets and shooting at the wrong people... and you missed.

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Re:
[info]21reasons
2005-11-29 01:28 pm UTC (link)
Now now, it's particularly cruel and unusual to start bickering in reply to a post that's about how one person got somewhere persuading politicians and diplomats to put agendas aside and actually work together towards a mutual goal...

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