I’ve been semi-following the topic of the UN’s desire to take control of the Internet from ICANN, an independent agency chartered by the US Commerce Department. Can you imagine: The Internet brought to you by the same people who brought you the Iraqi Oil-for-Food scandal.
The UN does a good job of kowtowing before and legitimizing dictators and thugs. Can you imagine what would happen to web sites or even email addresses belonging to those who, for example, got the Red Chinese angry? Think the UN wouldn’t hesitate to do their bidding?
Instapundit links to several recent articles and blogs about it. Let’s keep the Internet free.
In that Instapundit, it references a host of blogsites down the right side, and one is:
http://www.mwilliams.info/
His November 8 (at bottom) titles include “Freedom of Speech & Religion” – where he writes of China’s cracking down on ‘illegal’ websites … which is apparently any that speak out against the gov’t. Also mentioned is how people are being jailed for illegally printing copies of the Bible. Scary to think of control of the web in their hands. It’s an ironic twist that here’s an example where decentralized control (into the hands of the UN) would actually lead to a quashing of free speech in so many oppressed countries.
Yes, this is ridiculous stuff. It’s an example of how strong the anti-American sentiment has grown within the UN. It’s amazing that such an idea could get so far. And that it has demonstrates just how ineffective the UN really are. (Not that we haven’t had enough proof over the last few years!)
If the proposal ever ‘gets up’ then the US and a few countries only need to boycott it. The whole thing will fall apart. A good majority of Internet activity is US based. If all/some of the EU could be persuaded to join with a US boycott then we’d have the same situation we do today. That is, the non-democractic countries like China, much of the Middle East, etc each running their own national intranet but calling it the Internet.
When I first read about this several months ago I actually thought it was another internet hoax. The thought of the UN having anything to do with controlling the www is something like putting Planned Parenthood in charge of a Natural Family Planning program. Anyone in this country who even remotely thinks letting the UN control the www is a good idea in any way, shape or form should have their head examined and their voting privileges revoked. This will be a near fatal blow to free speech such as we are reading about in China.
Don’t kid yourselves into thinking this can NOT happen folks. These people are relying on our complacency.