Stand Down! UN ‘takeover of the Internet’ postponed indefinitely

The Volokh Conspiracy ^ | November 7, 2014 | David Post

[right-wing agnostic]

At its quadrennial “Plenipotentiary” meeting, the UN’s International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has apparently rejected a variety of proposals that would have injected the ITU (and the notion of sovereign state control) more centrally into the design and operation of the technical protocols that make up a critical part of the Internet’s fundamental infrastructure. [An excellent brief summary of the proceedings, along with links to the relevant documents, can be found here]

It might just be an important moment in Internet history – though we probably can’t really know about that for sure for some time. While it’s never been strictly correct to talk about any sort of “UN takeover” of the Internet - even if it wanted to, it’s by no meas clear how such a takeover could be executed — there has certainly been significant movement in the last few years by those asserting a much greater role for the ITU in Internet governance/management. The prospect has never been a pleasing one – see some of my earlier blog postings on the question here and here, as well as the collection of essays housed at the Register]. The ITU has played virtually no role in the Internet’s evolution over the years;

[Sequoyah101]

Amazing how quickly things are turning. I wonder why?

[Chickensoup]

My thoughts too.
Been reading the daily bell.

[BenLurkin]

“Must

Be

Sneakier”