NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Why trust the U.S. with domain names?
Why trust the U.S. with domain names? A European reporter called me today with some questions, related to the ICANN meeting this week on new gTLDs. As best I can remember: "Lauren, why should any non-U.S. entity trust the U.S. government and a U.S. corporation with their domain names, given that the U.S. has shown a willingness to shut down domains without due process or international consultation of any kind when the associated nameservers are within U.S. jurisdiction?" "Lauren, if the U.S. doesn't trust the UN or ITU to handle domain names appropriately, why can't a new international organization be created to do this properly with formal international representation, completely separate from the history of ICANN and the history of the UN and ITU? Isn't the Internet important enough for this? How can the U.S. justify holding control? Why should non-U.S. countries not proceed along their own paths with the Internet if the U.S. is unwilling to allow the Internet to be truly international in terms of control?" I tried to explain about fears of the UN/ITU, concerns about network fragmentation and blocking, and so on. But the reporter was not convinced. And neither was I. --Lauren-- NNSquad Moderator