Re: <nettime> an historic retreat

[Felix Stalder <felix@openflows.com>]

Hi Dan,

I must say, I've never really understood the politics around ICANN. That
has always been too arcane for me. So I don't understand this
development either.

When I read these articles, the suggestion is that a weak Obama
administration is trying to appease foreign governments angered by the
Snowden leaks handing over control over an essential part of the
infrastructure to an entity that is dominated either by commercial
interests, or foreign governments bent on censoring the internet, adding
to trend towards fragmentation and renationalization already underway.

As the lawfare blog (what a name, lawfare!) concludes:

> For me, the bottom line seems relatively clear ... the United States
> has been a fundamentally good steward of the network. It has fostered
> innovation, openness, freedom and growth. Not perfectly to be sure
> and not always without a healthy dollop of self-interest, but at its
> core the US management of the network has been more benign than
> venal, with the result that we have today a vibrant network with more
> good than bad in it.
> 
> The transition to ICANN management may well upset that happy vision

Is that really all there is, a panicky Obama selling out freedom to
appease dictators? This sounds like a standard right-wing narrative to
me (which is does not in an of itself invalidate it).

Felix



On 03/23/2014 04:20 AM, dan@geer.org wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Those who read the WSJ or PGN's RISKS will have seen this.
> 
> http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303563304579447362610955656
>
>  It is too long to quote in full, but here's Esther Dyson
> 
> In the end, I'd rather pay a spurious tax to people who want my money
> than see [Icann] controlled by entities who want my silence.
> 
> 
> If you prefer pithier/legalistic, try
> 
> http://www.lawfareblog.com/2014/03/who-controls-the-internet-address-book-icann
>
> 
-ntia-and-iana
> 
> 
> The word for the week:  apoplectic
> 
> --dan
> 
> 
> 
> 
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