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European Union asks Obama to free ICANN

T_F   on 06 May 2009 - 13:44 · 63 comments & 6371 views

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Viviane Reding, Information Society Commissioner of the European Union, is calling for the United States to hand over control of ICANN (Internet Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers). She said that the organization running ICANN needs be one free of control by one single nation but controlled by a private entity and governed by multiple nations.

News source: Tech Fragments

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(11 replies) #1 RichardK on 06 May 2009 - 14:39
HELL NO!

/end of discussion
#1.1 tiagosilva29 on 06 May 2009 - 15:07
HELL YES!

/restart of discussion
#1.2 +TCLN Ryster on 06 May 2009 - 20:18
tiagosilva29 said,
HELL YES!

/restart of discussion

That made me lol, but I agree.
The internet is global. The organisation that decides how the internet is run should also be managed globally.
#1.3 +Xerxes on 06 May 2009 - 22:17
I agree, hell no! EU just wants control over it and they can get stuffed. The US is doing a fine job with it and I see no reason why they should stop.
#1.4 +M2Ys4U on 06 May 2009 - 22:59
The US government can apply pressure to ICANN that no other government can. The Internet is global (like it or not), it should be managed accordingly.
#1.5 cybershark on 07 May 2009 - 19:08
RichardK said,
HELL NO!

/end of discussion


Indeed!

EU, ME and Asian countries would love control of ICANN, use it to further their censorship of the web.
#1.6 +M2Ys4U on 07 May 2009 - 19:48
EU censorship?! lol...
#1.7 +TCLN Ryster on 08 May 2009 - 00:31
Xerxes said,
I agree, hell no! EU just wants control over it and they can get stuffed. The US is doing a fine job with it and I see no reason why they should stop.

Don't talk drivel. How does the request "not just the US" become "only the EU" in your eyes? Quit being so sensationalist and propagating the myth that the world revolves around the US.

Speaking of drivel, cybershark.... thats the whole point of an international body to control the internet. No one country would be permitted to use their position to further the agenda of their own government.
#1.8 Tim Dawg on 09 May 2009 - 04:19

I agree. Hell NO!

U.S. started the internet so the home of ICANN is right where it should be.
#1.9 cybershark on 09 May 2009 - 08:28
M2Ys4U said,
EU censorship?! lol...


Maybe, if you weren't so "know all" you would be aware of what the EU is trying to include under hate speech laws.
#1.10 thealexweb on 09 May 2009 - 12:05
Tim Dawg said,
I agree. Hell NO!

U.S. started the internet so the home of ICANN is right where it should be.


Wrong, the internet was invented by the British, Tim Burns.
#1.11 Statikk on 09 May 2009 - 22:29
thealexweb said,
Tim Dawg said,
I agree. Hell NO!

U.S. started the internet so the home of ICANN is right where it should be.


Wrong, the internet was invented by the British, Tim Burns.


Dude you didn't even get the name right. Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web. Which runs over the Internet which was created by the US Government's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). The Internet was originally known as the ARPANET. At least get your facts straight before you tell someone they're wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWW
#2 Erikas on 06 May 2009 - 15:45
No idea /continuation of discussion
(2 replies) #3 +Frazell Thomas on 06 May 2009 - 17:53
I agree with the merits of her argument, but I'm not a fan of privitization. It is another word for legalized private monopolies that suck money at all costs. I'm sure it will cause domain registration fees, among others, to rise at an astounding rate.

Unless they funds to run it come soley from the member governments, but it will be a wide spread debate as to who those countries should be and how much should they contribute and etc...

If she's happy with the current work of the US government, as she said she is, then she shouldn't be rushing for a change in policy, but asking for an open discussion as to how to improve the organization long-term.
#3.1 +M2Ys4U on 06 May 2009 - 19:06
Just because it's private doesn't mean it has to be for-profit. It could just as well be a non-profit organisation (and I think it should be)
#3.2 +TCLN Ryster on 06 May 2009 - 20:19
It's doesn't have to be a private company either. It could be run by a board of members from several international governments.
(2 replies) #4 Zinomian on 06 May 2009 - 19:58
if it aint broken dont fix it!
#4.1 mmck on 06 May 2009 - 20:17
The fact its controlled by one country is probably enough to be considered "broken" and needs changing.
#4.2 +TCLN Ryster on 06 May 2009 - 20:20
mmck said,
The fact its controlled by one country is probably enough to be considered "broken" and needs changing.

Agreed. The United States shouldn't have sole control over what new top level domains the internet supports, amongst other issues.
(1 reply) #5 saiya on 06 May 2009 - 20:29
but but but.... if you take this away from us what else would we have?!
#5.1 BigCheese on 07 May 2009 - 08:36
You still have control over all the GPS satellites.
#6 nunjabusiness on 06 May 2009 - 22:12
I'm betting a lot of people don't remember the bad old days when InterNIC (Network Solutions) controlled ALL domain registrations (except country codes I think) and were the worst financial rapists ever!

I remember companies having to pay $100 a year to keep a domain registered that you can now get from GoDaddy,(etc) for less than $10.

Prices will certainly rise if this happens faster than leaving it as is.
(1 reply) #7 mithrandir on 06 May 2009 - 22:21
Why don't they just make a council in the U.N to manage it.
#7.1 +M2Ys4U on 06 May 2009 - 22:58
Do you even have to ask that question?
(5 replies) #8 M_Lyons10 on 07 May 2009 - 08:08
Good grief. The EU is out to control the world... They need to get out of everyone's business. I don't think anything good would come of their involvement. There aren't any deficiencies at this point in the running of ICANN...
#8.1 RAID 0 on 07 May 2009 - 17:06
M_Lyons10 said,
Good grief. The EU is out to control the world... They need to get out of everyone's business. I don't think anything good would come of their involvement. There aren't any deficiencies at this point in the running of ICANN...



100% agreed.
#8.2 Kevincvz on 07 May 2009 - 20:27
M_Lyons10 said,
Good grief. The EU is out to control the world... They need to get out of everyone's business. I don't think anything good would come of their involvement. There aren't any deficiencies at this point in the running of ICANN...


I think that it is a good thing that the EU acts as a an equal to the US. The US is not the leading nation of our planet, and because the internet is a global thing, it should be governed by at least every nation or organisation with the same economic power and stability. The EU is now at the moment more stable than the US, but never mind that for a moment.

Saying the EU is trying to control the world is hypocritical (no offence), as the US being the only one with control is one nation controlling the world. If control were to be by the US, EU, China, Japan and Australia etc, only then there wouldn't be one country or a few countries seeking control over the world.

Conclusion: good thing
#8.3 +TCLN Ryster on 08 May 2009 - 00:37
Seriously, you guys really need to get over yourselves. You say it's bad that "the EU is out to control the world" and yet you are very much in favour of the US retaining its sole control. Theres a word for that... hypocracy.

Nobody is advocating the EU taking ICANN over from the US. Nothing even remotely like that is being proposed.
#8.4 RAID 0 on 08 May 2009 - 17:49
TCLN Ryster said,
Seriously, you guys really need to get over yourselves. You say it's bad that "the EU is out to control the world" and yet you are very much in favour of the US retaining its sole control. Theres a word for that... hypocracy.

Nobody is advocating the EU taking ICANN over from the US. Nothing even remotely like that is being proposed.


It's not hypocrisy. I just don't see the need for the EU to get involved with something the US invented. How about Europe make something techie that the world wants? They could keep control then, right? CPUs, GPUs, hard drives, operating systems... Europe has nothing to offer.
#8.5 PGHammer on 09 May 2009 - 17:09
Kevincvz said,
I think that it is a good thing that the EU acts as a an equal to the US. The US is not the leading nation of our planet, and because the internet is a global thing, it should be governed by at least every nation or organisation with the same economic power and stability. The EU is now at the moment more stable than the US, but never mind that for a moment.

Saying the EU is trying to control the world is hypocritical (no offence), as the US being the only one with control is one nation controlling the world. If control were to be by the US, EU, China, Japan and Australia etc, only then there wouldn't be one country or a few countries seeking control over the world.

Conclusion: good thing


The EU is *trying* to act as a counterweight to the US; however, their taking opposing positions simply *because* they are opposing simply makes the positions of the US look all the better. The EU position is akin to that of the GOP in the US - opposition for the sake of opposition simply looks bad.

Conclusion: bad thing.
#9 i11usive on 07 May 2009 - 13:19
Didn't you guys hear about Kentucky seizing control of 141 gaming domain ---- that weren't even based/operating in the US. I think a conglomerate of countries should definitely be in control!!
(9 replies) #10 roadwarrior on 07 May 2009 - 13:55
Like it or not, the internet was created by the US government. If the EU has a problem with the way it is run, then they are certainly free to create their own replacement for it. Same goes for the GPS system (as someone mentioned earlier).
#10.1 nevann on 07 May 2009 - 15:26
Lol @ the "create their own replacement". Implying that the whole of the internet was/is made by the US Government ^^
#10.2 +M2Ys4U on 07 May 2009 - 16:33
The EU have created their own GPS system.
#10.3 Zinomian on 07 May 2009 - 17:36
Actually, the base for the internet was indeed created by the US Government and some universities that were trying to share research data between them, and then just like the GPS system, was opened to everyone to use.

So yeah, leave ICANN in the US, since it is being properly managed, and if the EU doesnt like, go and create your own system.

And since when does the EU have their own GPS system? I know Russia is trying to send some satelites to create their own GPS system, but i dont believe is up and running yet (again, i dont have my facts straight on this one).
#10.4 CaptainSlow on 07 May 2009 - 17:50
Zinomian said,
And since when does the EU have their own GPS system? I know Russia is trying to send some satelites to create their own GPS system, but i dont believe is up and running yet (again, i dont have my facts straight on this one).


The european system is called Galileo if i remember correctly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_positioning_system) and is still under construction, however a number of the Galileo satellites are orbiting earth!

However this is the first i've heard of the Russians building one.
#10.5 +M2Ys4U on 07 May 2009 - 18:52
The Russians have GLONASS which fell into disrepair, but they're trying to fix it.
#10.6 Zinomian on 07 May 2009 - 19:53
Ok, so at the moment neither system works...... Go USA? jejeje.
#10.7 BigCheese on 07 May 2009 - 22:44
Actually GLONASS does work. It just doesn't have enough satellites yet for full global coverage.

The Galileo system obviously doesn't work because it won't be finished until 2013, but when it is finished it will be more accurate than the US GPS system.
#10.8 +TCLN Ryster on 08 May 2009 - 00:41
roadwarrior said,
Like it or not, the internet was created by the US government. If the EU has a problem with the way it is run, then they are certainly free to create their own replacement for it. Same goes for the GPS system (as someone mentioned earlier).

Like it or not, the vast majority of the infrastructure that makes the current version of the Internet was not created by the US. Maybe the rest of the world should just just take over control of the root servers outside of the US (I assume there are some in places other than the US) and hiijack the net. I'm sure the rest of us would do just fine being cut of from the USA's private intranet. This is just a dramatisation, but you get the point
#10.9 Xsabin on 08 May 2009 - 20:30
Zinomian said,
Actually, the base for the internet was indeed created by the US Government and some universities that were trying to share research data between them, and then just like the GPS system, was opened to everyone to use.

So yeah, leave ICANN in the US, since it is being properly managed, and if the EU doesnt like, go and create your own system.

And since when does the EU have their own GPS system? I know Russia is trying to send some satelites to create their own GPS system, but i dont believe is up and running yet (again, i dont have my facts straight on this one).



+1
#11 Killer_Z on 07 May 2009 - 23:44
Resistance is futile. The ICANN'll be assimilated.
(1 reply) #12 Kevin on 09 May 2009 - 03:06
How about no government control? But alas, how would you tax it!
#12.1 Patchou on 09 May 2009 - 15:31
Kevin said,
How about no government control? But alas, how would you tax it!

Yeah, let's ask the fairies in the forest to take care of it.
#13 bryonhowley on 09 May 2009 - 09:16
Control need to stay right were it is. The EU should go get stuffed!
#14 C++ on 09 May 2009 - 09:49
I don't know if the USA should keep control of it and I do know that the ICANN is doing a pretty ****ing terrible job (talk to anybody who was ever involved in a domain dispute) but if control of the internet was up for sharing with the mother ****ing EU, I would be on the forefront of just about every online petition against it. **** the EU.
#15 TheGoodReverendKirdneh on 09 May 2009 - 10:44
The European GPS System could already be working globally.

The U.S. GPS System would have been disturbed by the European one,
being outdated, or just not constructed with enough foresight.

It seems we're still trying, without luck, to leave the dark ages, and the imperialistic thinking.
No wonder that an organizations like the U.N. can't function properly.

What is that with the phobia from the E.U., is the E.U. the new Soviet Russia?



#16 Patchou on 09 May 2009 - 15:30
Well, the thing is: things work fine as far as internet control is concerned already, so, why try to change anything? I'm not against the idea but I don't see the point of changing something that works properly enough that we don't hear about it all that much.
#17 +stifler6478 on 09 May 2009 - 17:11
I don't get those of you who are acting like the US retaining control is such a huge deal. I understand it as a fundamental ideal, but you can't possibly tell me that you don't think an innumerable amount of problems would arise out of freeing ICANN. As it stands now, it works pretty damn well and it's not like the US is exercising the fact that it has control over it.

-Spenser
(6 replies) #18 caius112 on 10 May 2009 - 08:00
Seriously, the ignorance and unwarranted self-importance on the part of (sadly) most of our American friends commenting here makes my blood boil. It's been a good while since I've seen so much American nationalism of the dumb kind in such little space.
#18.1 RAID 0 on 11 May 2009 - 03:36
Are you going to throw a fit because some Americans don't want to have to deal with the EU?

WE'RE NOT IN EUROPE!!! We don't need the EU involved in our lives.
#18.2 mmck on 11 May 2009 - 10:43
Im in Europe and most of the time don't "want" the EU to interfere with my life.

But in all honesty what has the EU done to you ever? and what way do you think them having "some" influence in ICANN would affect your life?

- If you can't provide an answer to that, then them having an influence in ICANN does not have an effect on your life, and so does not matter.

Oh and the fact Americans seem to think they don't need anyone else's help just amazes me, they are probably the same people who cry for help when something goes wrong - just to name two recent major events include Katrina and 9/11. I've also spoken to some Americans who didn't even realise other countries supplied military aid when America ran into Iraq.

If you don't want ANY interfering that may cause some negative issue, then America as a nation please stop trying to reap positives globally - and also stop interfering with the rest of the world as you do.

If you wish to have two worlds (America and the rest), then why not become isolated. The rest of the world between them certainly needs America less than America needs the rest of the world.


Oh just to make it clear - I am not anti-American.

Maybe the US is just concerned that their GDP is now lower than the EU. Whether you like it or not, yes the EU now interfere whether you like it or now - just like the US have done for years.

Last edited by mmck on 11 May 2009 - 10:51
#18.3 mmck on 11 May 2009 - 11:10
At the start of my last post I failed to note that even though most of the time i don't want the EU to interfere (with things that directly affect me) - their interfering is a good thing generally. And behind the scenes interfering outweighs the negatives you read about in the news. All the EU interfering posted here on Neowin really isn't an issue, and generally I would be tempted to say who even cares when you compare it to other things such as...

The "interfering EU" gives over twice as much per person of their collective GNP than the US. I would say the "interfering US" should readdress what they really interfere with before they criticise other "interfering groups"
#18.4 +M2Ys4U on 11 May 2009 - 11:40
RAID 0 said,
Are you going to throw a fit because some Americans don't want to have to deal with the EU?

WE'RE NOT IN EUROPE!!! We don't need the EU involved in our lives.

Dan Quayle would disagree with you:
"We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe."
#18.5 RAID 0 on 11 May 2009 - 17:07
M2Ys4U said,
RAID 0 said,
Are you going to throw a fit because some Americans don't want to have to deal with the EU?

WE'RE NOT IN EUROPE!!! We don't need the EU involved in our lives.

Dan Quayle would disagree with you:
"We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe."


NATO is not the EU.
#18.6 +M2Ys4U on 12 May 2009 - 09:07
*facepalm* Read the whole quotation?
(1 reply) #19 cdokakis on 12 May 2009 - 18:42
This whole thread MUST be a joke. I've been to the U.S several times, and I have friends from there, that both lives here in Europe and overseas, and I've NEVER seen such ignorance being displayed by an american, ever.

edit: ([ignorance] that I've seen in this thread.
#19.1 mmck on 14 May 2009 - 01:27
If you want a simple theoretical reason why that may be the case - people who are your friends are those who you associate with closely in some ways, ignorance is relatively high in importance regarding "human connectivity" and so your friends will have and equal understanding to you, just like you disregard ignorant people in Europe - if you don't like ignorant people why would you befriend them?

Also America is a vast place and my travels have found varying levels of ignorance. Going to the US several times means nothing in reading the US, try diversifying across America and in other parts, or maybe explore more localised things first, I bet there are local places that can be uncovered you would be unaware of, but make up considerable population fragments.

For example I can say here in the EU I don't know anyone who hasn't used a PC, but there is a huge population sector that I don't communicate with much that are probably the most likely sector not to use them (the elderly), that does not mean they are fictitious or non existent.

Online you are confronted with all sorts of people from all sorts of backgrounds. And generally opinionated people are "extreme" in opinion (which is often a good thing - having morals you believe in presuming you dont force them on others).

Having discussions about differences, and prompting questioning, globally many differences arise due to inherited/taught ideas.

Many ideas/theories the further they are explored and discussed the more widespread they become accepted and the less they are disputed. One example is Darwinism against Creationism.

Anyway im dragging on now.

#20 schwit on 19 May 2009 - 17:24
What's the goal of having other countries involved in the ICANN processes? The UN is an example of a pseudo-global government agency trying to manage projects. What's the success rate there?

And besides, if the EU doesn't like the current arrangement they can always start their own internet.
#21 beng2k on 19 May 2009 - 19:54
I have nothing important to contibute to this topic, however, I am amazed at how patriotic and ignorant some Americans are. LIving just to the north, I have seen and spoken with many people, and none have displayed such utter ignorance towards anything.


Go make your own internet....are you 12?
Grow up. Im not anti American, not anti EU, no anti-China or anything for that matter, but I do think input from other countries and delegation of power/control should be a global thing as the internet is global, not because "some" American or whoever invented it.

#22 Joey992 on 20 May 2009 - 07:05
Shouldn't we ask Al Gore? It is his invention.
#23 OgamaWab on 21 May 2009 - 09:50
Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power..........

In the end we will be all owned for profit........This to be true..........
#24 carson2255 on 25 May 2009 - 02:30
I think ICANN is doing fine under U.S. control. Under the rule of many Government can lead to mismanagement by Beauracracy. Beauracracy tends to slow things down when it comes to regulations or lack of regulations in how the internet should run. If ICANN were to be governed in this manner, then it may be hard finding a consensus to what is right and what is wrong. The U.S. governed ICANN takes a very lax attitude to censorship and I think it is correct route to take.

Also how is ICANN to be governed by multiple countries. Should countries get an equal vote into matters such as regulations. So a country like China would hold the same weight as the country of say Nigeria? Or should population of users be considered into that weight. In that case if China were to say forbid sites sympathetical to Tibetan causes. Would this be fair?

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