Imagine A UN-Run Internet

Damon Dimmick writes "Small countries in the United Nations have been arguing to put the Internet under the control of the UN so that countries can more easily monitor (read: control) Internet content. It's on hold for now, but this could become a very real censorship problem, very soon. Some nations have gone so far as to suggest "monitoring boards" for internet content. Here is the link to the Financial Times article. It briefly describes the current situation. Just something to keep an eye on."

Re:Better than a USA-run Internet...

[Anonymous Coward]

"God Bless America, and thank God I don't have to live there."

And I, sitting on my white, male, obese sitcom-watching, oil burning, corporate lacky ass, thank God you don't live here too.

Damn stinky third world types. Take a fucking shower.

Re:Imagine

[RabidStoat]

now that's just going too far ! All these conspiracy therioes are one thing, but a heterosexual slashdot .. NEVER !

Re:Announcing the U.S intranet

[HeelToe]

Like the U.S.?

This would be right up there

[sielwolf]

with their choice of putting Libya [hrw.org] as the Human Rights chair.

Luckily the UN is a flaccid organization with no territory or armies of its own. What would it plan to do? Begin a humanitarian mission to the Web by dropping a bunch of Kenyan and Spanish troops near all the root servers?

Yeah right.

An excellent comparison

[runlvl0]

The Leauge of Nations and the Catholic Church both predate the UN, and both are very arguably "supra-national" organizations

An excellent comparison: when you get right down to it, the UN is like the Vatican, but for atheists. (With the predictble results.)

Re:internet2

[Anonymous Coward]

why not just create a new internet then?

GREAT IDEA! Why don't you and your little friends go out and do that right now. I bet it you ask nicely, your mom will give you some string which you can pretend is network cable and let you use some old milk crates as 'computers' and 'routers'. When you're done, I bet she will make all of you some nice peanut butter sandwiches.

Re:Better than a USA-run Internet...

[NihilSmurf]

> > Where freedom of speech applies to EVERYBODY,
> > even the ones with unpopular causes. Hint:
> > popular causes don't NEED freedom of speech.
>
> If it applies to everybody, then why would
> there be a need for a 3-day shutdown of London
> so that protesters don't get a chance
> to "peacably assemble?"

I may only have a US education, but I'm pretty sure London is in another country. It's the one with Radiohead and Boddington's.

Re:Better than a USA-run Internet...

[probbka]

China! China has WAY more Chinese people in it than America. At least 15% more!! So clearly China is the most multicultural nation.

Or how about Africa? I think Africa has more black people in power than in the US. That makes Africa a much more balanced, fair, and multicultural nation.

Re:Good idea

[rickst13]

What is the lesser of two evils, a government censored internet or a corporate censored internet?

Wait... there is a difference?