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UN's ITU to regulate the Internet? NOT!
When will people learn.

When the Internet began, it was called ARPANET and it was based on the concept of packet switching, as opposed to circuit switching like telephone systems. Also, the idea was to create a 'de-centralized' network that could not be destroyed by dropping a bomb on a mainframe computer, making the ARPANET indestructible. De-centralization also created a network that CANNOT BE REGULATED except by the masses who use the network.

Today the Internet is regulated more by flaming than by any government intervention.
Some lessons:

- media companies have been trying to stop the phenomenon of P2P file sharing. They can never stop people from sharing these files, because of the structure of the Internet. If media companies succeeds in shutting down one P2P program, people simply begin another one with a different name with a new host. A P2P file sharing utility is very easy for most programmers to create (as little as 15 lines of code).

- Canada's CRTC wanted to do the same thing by regulating the Internet for Canadians back in the 1990's. They failed and have never tried again.

- phone companies have been trying to prevent the use of VOIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol for years. Instead, they have been forced to embrace VOIP, or face major new competition.

- China is trying to restrict access to certain web sites they feel are inappropriate, but they've only managed to create a black market Internet which profits criminals.

What we need is a new form of governance to regulate the Internet. As mentioned above, the masses are best at regulating the Internet. So we need to form a Democratic Meritocracy style of governance (let's call it Internet Government (IG) for now), where the most talented people in each field rise to the top in the IG. People who rise to the top do so, not of their own doing, but by being 'selected', not 'elected' for the position.

Linux is governed by a Meritocracy system with open-source software products. Today, they've become the biggest threat to companies like Microsoft, Adobe, Macromedia and others who operate in dictatorial, closed-source, non-sharing environments. They wonder, how do we compete with concepts, like open-source or Meritocracy? You don't, because it's all new territory with new concepts.

We can use the Internet to have people vote for a 'Selection Committee'. The Selection Committee will determine who is the most qualified for each field and will offer that person the job. If they accept, then they serve a term and submit their record of success in the IG as reasons to be 're-selected'. If they didn't do very well, they are replaced by someone more qualified.

Governing anything that is de-centralized requires governance that is de-centralized, or it doesn't stand a chance of success.

This doesn't mean we don't need, ITU, ICANN, the Internet Engineering Task Force, the World Wide Web Consortium and others to help regulate the Internet - we do. It only means that they should not be THE regulators. These organizations have a great deal to offer in expertise and experience. With their help the Democratic Meritocracy of the IG could work.

Thanks for reading this.
Posted by (2 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Very interesting idea, youre right
Hi.

I agree with you a decentralized goberment and meritocracy resembles open source community model.

And It applies to more than only the tech scenario... It could be applied to many things including goberning countries, states, towns.

Relying on the most capable people based on proved experiences and results should be the way to go.

Maybe even the UN could apply that way of working to its own internal issues. Instead of trying to impose a model that the entire world knows it haven't worked.
Posted by (23 comments )
Link Flag
Put the ITU incharge if you want the internet to stagnate
It will be like the U.N, and nothing will get done.
Posted by unknown unknown (1951 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Put the ITU incharge if you want the internet to stagnate
It will be like the U.N, and nothing will get done.
Posted by unknown unknown (1951 comments )
Reply Link Flag
The U.S. is not the world, fortunately
I find it amusing and depressing that many of the comments on
this story consist of knee-jerk responses to the term "UN" in the
usual ways the UN is presented in the U.S. media (rather than
based on any actual knowledge of how they work. I might just as
easily say that having root server operations effectively open to
control by a U.S. government department is a mistake given that
administration's proven incompetence. (Oil for food the most
significant scandal here? What about Weapons of Mass
Destruction?) But the reality is that the ITU, while a UN body, is
not "the UN" and it'd be nice if the editors of a supposedly
serious journalism site could keep the discussion focussed on
what's actually happening.

I think the bottom line is that the ITU won't get to "control the
internet", and that's a good thing. But I also think Houlin Zhao is
correct that there will be changes to the governance structure
that establishes ICANN through a contract with the U.S.
government, as this is a non-transparent process clearly at odds
with the aspirations of the "Internet" to be a global medium.

More interesting is what happens if the kind of attitude reflected
in comments here (summarized as "We invented the Internet,
there's nothing wrong with our mates in ICANN, and the U.N.
can eat my shorts") continues to be promoted at the
international level. There would be a good incentive for
establishment of alternative domain systems (particularly in
languages other than English) and root servers. i.e. a US Internet
coordinating system, and a "rest-of-the-world" one. While most
U.S. tech people express horror that this would "break the global
internet", the Internet is not really global while it's being
governed under its current structure. And in any case, there is
already widespread de-peering happening even within countries
like New Zealand. The network of Intranets is already emerging
is the structure for global networks.

So here's a question for you: In a game of chicken between (say)
a South&South-East Asian controlled domain name system, and
a US/UK/Japan one, who will win? My feeling is that China would
feel that it could survive without being able to access the ICANN
internet, but it would be *very* bad news for the US & UK
economies if their multinationals are not able to easily access
the Chinese market.

Of course, the current US administration has shown it is more
interested in control than doing what is economically sensible,
so I don't see this one ending well. Nothing like the sound of
empires gently crumbling in the morning...
Posted by (2 comments )
Reply Link Flag
We've seen how the UN works....
As long as the UN is not doing anything but health programs
and disaster aid, it works adequately well. But in anything
involving international disagreements, the UN is a total wimp.
Knee Jerk reaction?....no, just simple observation.

The UN is not able to achieve even it's most basic goals in
international diplomacy. Koffe Annan is a walking joke, and his
son is a thief. But that works at the UN.
Posted by Earl Benser (4310 comments )
Link Flag
ITU vs. United Nations
Vic: Thanks for your remarks. I'm not sure what you'd suggest that News.com editors do to"keep the discussion focussed (sic) on what's actually happening."

Anyone can post on these TalkBack sections of News.com. They're intentionally unmoderated. If you wish to try to correct what you perceive to be misunderstandings, I'd encourage you to do so instead of asking the authorities to step in.
Posted by declan00 (848 comments )
Link Flag
not pursuasive.
Sorry Vic, your comments just aren't very pursuasive.

The biggest problem is that you'd take a free medium , and turn it over to control of governments who consider free speech "merely a political issue". I think it's safe to say most take free speech seriously. Do you? China & Iran certainly don't, and they're behind this 100%, which should tell you enough right there.

btw, there'll never be a "game of chicken", and even if there were several major internets, no country, short of a WW3/4 type scenario would block theirs while there's money to be made.

Good day
Posted by wtheronjones (7 comments )
Link Flag
The U.S. is not the world, fortunately
I find it amusing and depressing that many of the comments on
this story consist of knee-jerk responses to the term "UN" in the
usual ways the UN is presented in the U.S. media (rather than
based on any actual knowledge of how they work. I might just as
easily say that having root server operations effectively open to
control by a U.S. government department is a mistake given that
administration's proven incompetence. (Oil for food the most
significant scandal here? What about Weapons of Mass
Destruction?) But the reality is that the ITU, while a UN body, is
not "the UN" and it'd be nice if the editors of a supposedly
serious journalism site could keep the discussion focussed on
what's actually happening.

I think the bottom line is that the ITU won't get to "control the
internet", and that's a good thing. But I also think Houlin Zhao is
correct that there will be changes to the governance structure
that establishes ICANN through a contract with the U.S.
government, as this is a non-transparent process clearly at odds
with the aspirations of the "Internet" to be a global medium.

More interesting is what happens if the kind of attitude reflected
in comments here (summarized as "We invented the Internet,
there's nothing wrong with our mates in ICANN, and the U.N.
can eat my shorts") continues to be promoted at the
international level. There would be a good incentive for
establishment of alternative domain systems (particularly in
languages other than English) and root servers. i.e. a US Internet
coordinating system, and a "rest-of-the-world" one. While most
U.S. tech people express horror that this would "break the global
internet", the Internet is not really global while it's being
governed under its current structure. And in any case, there is
already widespread de-peering happening even within countries
like New Zealand. The network of Intranets is already emerging
is the structure for global networks.

So here's a question for you: In a game of chicken between (say)
a South&South-East Asian controlled domain name system, and
a US/UK/Japan one, who will win? My feeling is that China would
feel that it could survive without being able to access the ICANN
internet, but it would be *very* bad news for the US & UK
economies if their multinationals are not able to easily access
the Chinese market.

Of course, the current US administration has shown it is more
interested in control than doing what is economically sensible,
so I don't see this one ending well. Nothing like the sound of
empires gently crumbling in the morning...
Posted by (2 comments )
Reply Link Flag
We've seen how the UN works....
As long as the UN is not doing anything but health programs
and disaster aid, it works adequately well. But in anything
involving international disagreements, the UN is a total wimp.
Knee Jerk reaction?....no, just simple observation.

The UN is not able to achieve even it's most basic goals in
international diplomacy. Koffe Annan is a walking joke, and his
son is a thief. But that works at the UN.
Posted by Earl Benser (4310 comments )
Link Flag
ITU vs. United Nations
Vic: Thanks for your remarks. I'm not sure what you'd suggest that News.com editors do to"keep the discussion focussed (sic) on what's actually happening."

Anyone can post on these TalkBack sections of News.com. They're intentionally unmoderated. If you wish to try to correct what you perceive to be misunderstandings, I'd encourage you to do so instead of asking the authorities to step in.
Posted by declan00 (848 comments )
Link Flag
not pursuasive.
Sorry Vic, your comments just aren't very pursuasive.

The biggest problem is that you'd take a free medium , and turn it over to control of governments who consider free speech "merely a political issue". I think it's safe to say most take free speech seriously. Do you? China & Iran certainly don't, and they're behind this 100%, which should tell you enough right there.

btw, there'll never be a "game of chicken", and even if there were several major internets, no country, short of a WW3/4 type scenario would block theirs while there's money to be made.

Good day
Posted by wtheronjones (7 comments )
Link Flag
Re: The U.N. thinks about tomorrow's cyberspace
Of course, U.N. can go ahead itself making some plans for Internet regulation anytime in future. Surely, they can install some suppressing-related rules into Internet. But Internet-related rules are nothing but adding themselves to a huge list of removable and unremovable documents found on Internet.

Why trying to make an attempt to control over Internet users who just sit on their chairs and don't do anything? They are far different and alien to the real-life law enforcers, policemen, soldiers, lawyers, politicans, drug-smuggling gangs, violent gangs, agents, plotters, cabals, and others who are delivering lies, forces, mind controls, bullying/killing/intimidating techniques, harassment, violence, and orders to keep their livehoods going.

Probably, it will never be Internet goverance in future. Internet goverance installed for what purpose? To be more specific. Information suppressing deliberately used to continually keep feeding into those cheaters' securities? Internet goverance can't sort and manage all of the trillion documents. Otherwise, anyone who is anxiously discussing about a subject is exposing himself to be on the Internet record. Someone can print a document and put it in a safe place. So, what does a government think? They must be very careful about what to handle their public discussion and announcement. They have to regret that because anyone, who is using Internet, can keep tracks on their daily performances and jobs paid by taxpayers.

Obviously, there are a lot of leaders who are not doing their jobs at all and miserly failing to meet taxpayers' expection and hope. They are nothing but secretive cabals who are serving themselves by taking a lot of the average people's money and blood.

Because of the 9/11 plot and Iraq war, it is now too late for the governments to eagerly participate in role playing. Internet, itself, turned out to be unexpectedly created to unite the people from all over the world far surpassing marketing and exchanging-idea modes. Now, it is exploitable as some bloggers realize in their creation of their political bashing paradises.

U.N. should stop whining and tinkering over Internet. It better starts helping U.S. government cleaning up its Middle East mess. Criticizing Mexico and U.S. government for too many illegal immigrants in U.S is strongly recommended. That is not all, scolding at Mexico for its highly corrupted economic policy which criminally and illegally persuaded millions of Mexicans to flee at their own risks is considered a big plus.

It looks like Internet is veering the globalizing governments to become the world peacemaker. Internet is nothing than a body of million readers who own, borrow, and use computers as some, if not all, pay the monthly/annual subscriptions for their Internet access. It will be free from humans' help anytime, as soon as, the cost of computers and host servicing/providing/maintaining hit rock-bottom attributing to potential availability of artificial intelligence which tends to advance.

Well, we can't listen to, read about, worship over, live on, and follow the famous people (politicans, athletes, famous writers, directors, actors/actresses, popes, etc.) forever. We need to move on, lead our ordinary lives, and take care of ourselves - in order to promote our own genuine happiness. Certainly, it was the government's work and implication which gave birth to Internet's existence - at everyone's (taxpayers') expense, but sorry to realize that Internet's function was becoming not what the governments hoped for. Attention is now slowly diverting from the famous leaders and their propaganda, which is paid by us, onto Internet.

Unfortunately, Internet is here to stay, regardless if it is regulated or not. Althought that China already developed its reputation for its rigid manipulation on Internet censorship, I am skeptical that it could stay that way forever. It has to go sometime.

I think that a single blogger's website is, each, far more interesting and appreciated than all of arousal porn websites combined. These non-porn websites make a very terrific educating tool. Many individuals are greatly benefitted and seeing the upside down world much better because of the countless and controversial posts.

It is time for many officials to make major adjustable changes in their lives, rather than pulling billions of us into their selfish worlds which overly depend on nuclear harassment/war-related racketeering to boost their securities exclusively, far apart from ours. Only a very, very tiny number of prominent and powerful people, not necessarily us the whole world, who seek for a solution in order to keep their self-esteems sailing and flying as kites and hand-made sailboats which can stop anytime when a Mother-Nature wind can no longer provide its own Earth windmaking force forever and infinitely. It is time for those children to pick up their toys and go to their houses because a beautiful sunset's light is gently dimming.
Posted by (5 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Re: The U.N. thinks about tomorrow's cyberspace
Of course, U.N. can go ahead itself making some plans for Internet regulation anytime in future. Surely, they can install some suppressing-related rules into Internet. But Internet-related rules are nothing but adding themselves to a huge list of removable and unremovable documents found on Internet.

Why trying to make an attempt to control over Internet users who just sit on their chairs and don't do anything? They are far different and alien to the real-life law enforcers, policemen, soldiers, lawyers, politicans, drug-smuggling gangs, violent gangs, agents, plotters, cabals, and others who are delivering lies, forces, mind controls, bullying/killing/intimidating techniques, harassment, violence, and orders to keep their livehoods going.

Probably, it will never be Internet goverance in future. Internet goverance installed for what purpose? To be more specific. Information suppressing deliberately used to continually keep feeding into those cheaters' securities? Internet goverance can't sort and manage all of the trillion documents. Otherwise, anyone who is anxiously discussing about a subject is exposing himself to be on the Internet record. Someone can print a document and put it in a safe place. So, what does a government think? They must be very careful about what to handle their public discussion and announcement. They have to regret that because anyone, who is using Internet, can keep tracks on their daily performances and jobs paid by taxpayers.

Obviously, there are a lot of leaders who are not doing their jobs at all and miserly failing to meet taxpayers' expection and hope. They are nothing but secretive cabals who are serving themselves by taking a lot of the average people's money and blood.

Because of the 9/11 plot and Iraq war, it is now too late for the governments to eagerly participate in role playing. Internet, itself, turned out to be unexpectedly created to unite the people from all over the world far surpassing marketing and exchanging-idea modes. Now, it is exploitable as some bloggers realize in their creation of their political bashing paradises.

U.N. should stop whining and tinkering over Internet. It better starts helping U.S. government cleaning up its Middle East mess. Criticizing Mexico and U.S. government for too many illegal immigrants in U.S is strongly recommended. That is not all, scolding at Mexico for its highly corrupted economic policy which criminally and illegally persuaded millions of Mexicans to flee at their own risks is considered a big plus.

It looks like Internet is veering the globalizing governments to become the world peacemaker. Internet is nothing than a body of million readers who own, borrow, and use computers as some, if not all, pay the monthly/annual subscriptions for their Internet access. It will be free from humans' help anytime, as soon as, the cost of computers and host servicing/providing/maintaining hit rock-bottom attributing to potential availability of artificial intelligence which tends to advance.

Well, we can't listen to, read about, worship over, live on, and follow the famous people (politicans, athletes, famous writers, directors, actors/actresses, popes, etc.) forever. We need to move on, lead our ordinary lives, and take care of ourselves - in order to promote our own genuine happiness. Certainly, it was the government's work and implication which gave birth to Internet's existence - at everyone's (taxpayers') expense, but sorry to realize that Internet's function was becoming not what the governments hoped for. Attention is now slowly diverting from the famous leaders and their propaganda, which is paid by us, onto Internet.

Unfortunately, Internet is here to stay, regardless if it is regulated or not. Althought that China already developed its reputation for its rigid manipulation on Internet censorship, I am skeptical that it could stay that way forever. It has to go sometime.

I think that a single blogger's website is, each, far more interesting and appreciated than all of arousal porn websites combined. These non-porn websites make a very terrific educating tool. Many individuals are greatly benefitted and seeing the upside down world much better because of the countless and controversial posts.

It is time for many officials to make major adjustable changes in their lives, rather than pulling billions of us into their selfish worlds which overly depend on nuclear harassment/war-related racketeering to boost their securities exclusively, far apart from ours. Only a very, very tiny number of prominent and powerful people, not necessarily us the whole world, who seek for a solution in order to keep their self-esteems sailing and flying as kites and hand-made sailboats which can stop anytime when a Mother-Nature wind can no longer provide its own Earth windmaking force forever and infinitely. It is time for those children to pick up their toys and go to their houses because a beautiful sunset's light is gently dimming.
Posted by (5 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Nightmare scenario
If ever there were any doubt about the UN's ambition to control the internet, this would seem to clinch it. When it perceives the earliest opportunity, the UN will make a power grab for the net as its ticket to power and perpetual revenue.

UN control will end the internet as we know it.
Posted by (7 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Nightmare scenario
If ever there were any doubt about the UN's ambition to control the internet, this would seem to clinch it. When it perceives the earliest opportunity, the UN will make a power grab for the net as its ticket to power and perpetual revenue.

UN control will end the internet as we know it.
Posted by (7 comments )
Reply Link Flag
well I guess Internet wasn't working anyway...
Why on earth would people want to give control of the internet to countries who arrest people for political talk? Vietnam, China, & Iran are the countries supporting this, and people are rotting in "pound me in the ass/pound big rocks into little rocks" prison for what what we'd consider simple, basic political talk("so & so sucks" == knock on door).

This is as bad an idea as has ever been thought of. Add a stifling beauracracy to a fast moving technology, and the internet will never evolve as it should.

It's obvious fixing spam/gambling/porn problems is cover talk. Other than lacking the ability to control/censor the internet the way they'd like, what exactly is so wrong with the way it is now?

The ITU should ****.
Posted by wtheronjones (7 comments )
Reply Link Flag
well I guess Internet wasn't working anyway...
Why on earth would people want to give control of the internet to countries who arrest people for political talk? Vietnam, China, & Iran are the countries supporting this, and people are rotting in "pound me in the ass/pound big rocks into little rocks" prison for what what we'd consider simple, basic political talk("so & so sucks" == knock on door).

This is as bad an idea as has ever been thought of. Add a stifling beauracracy to a fast moving technology, and the internet will never evolve as it should.

It's obvious fixing spam/gambling/porn problems is cover talk. Other than lacking the ability to control/censor the internet the way they'd like, what exactly is so wrong with the way it is now?

The ITU should ****.
Posted by wtheronjones (7 comments )
Reply Link Flag
ITU proposed ISO/OSI as ALTERNATIVE to TCP/IP
Doesn't anyone remember? The ITU has proven its incompetence by proposing the ridiculous ISO/OSI as
an alternative to what became the Internet.

They lost. They need to go away.

Thank you.
Posted by (2 comments )
Reply Link Flag
ITU proposed ISO/OSI as ALTERNATIVE to TCP/IP
Doesn't anyone remember? The ITU has proven its incompetence by proposing the ridiculous ISO/OSI as
an alternative to what became the Internet.

They lost. They need to go away.

Thank you.
Posted by (2 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Hi, I'm Kofi And I'm Here To Help
Give me a blank check for starters and let me do my stuff. Next year I will ask the first world countries, particulalry the U.S. for even more, because of course whatever they contribute is never enough, and they are shirking their responsibility. Oh, don't worry about financial controls, everyone here is honest.
Posted by Stating (869 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Hi, I'm Kofi And I'm Here To Help
Give me a blank check for starters and let me do my stuff. Next year I will ask the first world countries, particulalry the U.S. for even more, because of course whatever they contribute is never enough, and they are shirking their responsibility. Oh, don't worry about financial controls, everyone here is honest.
Posted by Stating (869 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Amazing progress since ???
It is certainly easy to pick on SPAM, Spyware, viruses, insert-latest-threat-here, to justify the need for change, but if the ITU, and Mr. Zhao have been working on these, and other issues of security, where is it published? I see no ITU-sponsored efforts related to the internet, other than an apparent power grab. If they knew as much about the internet as they believed they did, they would know how to make suggestions for improvements.
Posted by starfire10k (4 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Amazing progress since ???
It is certainly easy to pick on SPAM, Spyware, viruses, insert-latest-threat-here, to justify the need for change, but if the ITU, and Mr. Zhao have been working on these, and other issues of security, where is it published? I see no ITU-sponsored efforts related to the internet, other than an apparent power grab. If they knew as much about the internet as they believed they did, they would know how to make suggestions for improvements.
Posted by starfire10k (4 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Bad...Very Bad Idea
Giving control of the Internet to the UN is a very bad and stupid idea. The First thing to go would be the freedom of speech on the net..so called offensive site will start being taken down left and right. We should not be listening to a man from the Ministry of Information, of a Communist country, he can't possably know what it means to lose freedom of speech. Pushing this idea though on the pretence of better security...is just an example of how stupid they think we are.
Posted by (2 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Yes, bad idea...
A man tries to spread the censorship of Internet to go in the country toward the world. Is the man wish to make the world huge LAN? The extension of the power principle - man of Communist country grasps that kernel. It is terrible. He wants to justify that a country is doing the censorship of the Internet with a name of the 'rule'.
Posted by (3 comments )
Link Flag
Bad...Very Bad Idea
Giving control of the Internet to the UN is a very bad and stupid idea. The First thing to go would be the freedom of speech on the net..so called offensive site will start being taken down left and right. We should not be listening to a man from the Ministry of Information, of a Communist country, he can't possably know what it means to lose freedom of speech. Pushing this idea though on the pretence of better security...is just an example of how stupid they think we are.
Posted by (2 comments )
Reply Link Flag
Yes, bad idea...
A man tries to spread the censorship of Internet to go in the country toward the world. Is the man wish to make the world huge LAN? The extension of the power principle - man of Communist country grasps that kernel. It is terrible. He wants to justify that a country is doing the censorship of the Internet with a name of the 'rule'.
Posted by (3 comments )
Link Flag
The Fox Guarding the Chicken Coop[
Letting China bring the Internet into the ITU would be like letting Bonnie and Clyde supervise a munitions factory.

Most of the spam being spewed on the Internet involves China, whether it be in bulletproof hosting, or in hosting the email process in either direction.

China has a notoriously bad record with regard to individual or intellectual property rights - not surprising since they are [depending on who you ask] either a socialist or communist *society* as well as in their politics. Everything belongs to everyone and no one has any rights beyond what the State grants.

China has displayed this philosophy in censoring it's own population's access to the Internet at the national level.

And we want them running the show for what reason exactly?
Posted by cchamb2 (3 comments )
Reply Link Flag
The Fox Guarding the Chicken Coop[
Letting China bring the Internet into the ITU would be like letting Bonnie and Clyde supervise a munitions factory.

Most of the spam being spewed on the Internet involves China, whether it be in bulletproof hosting, or in hosting the email process in either direction.

China has a notoriously bad record with regard to individual or intellectual property rights - not surprising since they are [depending on who you ask] either a socialist or communist *society* as well as in their politics. Everything belongs to everyone and no one has any rights beyond what the State grants.

China has displayed this philosophy in censoring it's own population's access to the Internet at the national level.

And we want them running the show for what reason exactly?
Posted by cchamb2 (3 comments )
Reply Link Flag
 

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