Obama Administration's Plan to Relinquish Control of ICANN

Osarion · Sep 4, 2016

This is a pretty technical and confusing issue for people who aren't at a pretty high level of network/tech savvy, and I encourage people to do some research on it.

Here's the bottom line.

ICANN essentially controls the internet (domain registrations)
It is controlled by a... very questionable... but at least American controlled organization
Obama wants to relinquish control to an "international body" -- possibly a UN council (read: countries that might hold our values of freedom very highly. ie, the rest of the world)
It is potentially a critical national security issue at worst, and extremely bad for the internet at best.

Long story short, this is very bad. Please read up on this, and write your state reps and senators and urge them to fight Obama on this. This is going to happen this month.

AMProducts · Sep 4, 2016

In some ways this is a good thing, and in other ways it's a bad thing. ICANN has been a horrible steward of the root servers over the years.

I supported ORSC when it was still running... that's long gone, there are a few other challengers. However realistically DNS with it's top-down control of the domain structure is just going to be a mess as time passes, especially as IPV6 rolls further out with more deployment of IoT (Internet of Terminators).

But until that happens, I will just have to say "I for one welcome our new globalist AI overlords."

Member 5605 · Sep 4, 2016

ICANN should be controlled by the nation with the fastest and cheapest internet speed as based on cost\speed.

Let them fight for it. Consumers would win.

Make it a 3 year term.

Osarion · Oct 1, 2016

Well that's a big game over. Score one for Obama, and a big loss for freedom of the internet.

coastal steelheader · Oct 1, 2016

So can I still watch Mongolian midget porn or do I have to pay???

clearconscience · Oct 1, 2016

Personally I believe he who controls the internet controls the world.

Social media has become the propaganda tool of the 21st century.

It can and will destroy nations.

JRuby · Oct 1, 2016

the question i would ask is this going to lead to censorship if so it is a big mistake.

I support so many systems that rely on the internet Redhat and SUSE linux registrations. Yum and zypper updates require the net. IBM pasport sdvantage software downloads. Thats just the surface I hope they dont screw it up. DARPA created the internet why would give away control?

cigars · Oct 1, 2016

Screw ICAAN.
1) Start our own brand new internet. Screw the old way of DNR.
2) USA only. Everyone else gets temporary passes. Let email stay as it is.
I've been getting sick of what the internet has developed into in recent years. it's gone from an interesting and new frontier to a control matrix. AI will take that to the next level after cash becomes eradicated.
3) Get off of my lawn....

PaulB47 · Oct 2, 2016

I don't worry too much. People really like having the internet, so they will have it. Remember when Egypt shut theirs down to stop the last rebellion? That lasted what, a couple days?

Obama wants to relinquish control to an "international body" -- possibly a UN council (read: countries that might hold our values of freedom very highly. ie, the rest of the world)

I wouldn't assume the US govt is any more concerned about liberty than an "international body" is.

Those in power always try to control information available to the peons, and the peons always try to get around those controls.