U.S says it intends to remain ruler of the internet

US holds onto key internet role

BBC


The US government has said it intends to maintain its role in overseeing how the internet is run. It means the US will continue its oversight of the machines that serve as the net's master directories.

The US principles, laid out by a senior official come at a time when the United Nations is discussing giving poorer nations a greater say in how the internet is managed.

The US said the decision was in response to growing security threats and the importance of the internet for business.

"Given the internet's importance to the world's economy, it is essential that the underlying DNS of the internet remain stable and secure," read the US statement.

While most people will not notice any difference when they use the internet, the declaration puts the Bush administration at odds with those who want to reduce US influence on the net.

Some countries have pushed for international bodies such as the UN to be given a greater say in how the internet is managed.

Countries such as China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia.

Link to entire article

Although we wouldn't really notice the difference, I personally would much rather have them here than elsewhere, and not just for the miniscule speed bump. While I don't trust the security of this nation as much as I'd like to, or as much as others, when it comes to things of this nature, namely the operation, distribution, and organization of computers and information, the USA ranks number one in my book. Besides, we're definitely on top when it comes to secure, undisclosed locations.

how very stupid, americans saying they will maintain control of the internet
as soon as the technology went public they lost all control if they even had any heh as for policing it thats anoth stupid idea because people would use old tech to use it just a foolish statment all round

A group of 13 computers in private hands are known as root servers. They contain approved lists of net suffixes such as .com, known as the Domain Name System (DNS). This matches up numerical addresses on the global computer network with easy-to-remember names such as www.amazon.com.

It's not the technology (everyone's got it, you just need a computer). We've got the data, the capability, the everything. It's not controlling the internet - that's an absurd idea, simply impossible - it's keeping track of it, keeping it running as we know it. I believe you've misinterpreted the article.

how about those other nations invent their own internet and then they can control it

the internet was created by the US military

china russia or UN have NO RIGHT to come telling us to let them control our own friggin property

i dont like our current administration, and i certainly dont like the idea of "internet police"

but...what i dislike even more is people coming telling me how to run my own property

China Russia UN, Screw Off

Get your OWN bag of chips !!!

You think of the internet as more of a thing. The internet isn't a thing, its more of an idea.

Its just a protocol that shows one computer how to access another.

As for the first to invent/use the 'internet'. That would be some MIT guys in the 1960's.

Last but not least the real issue at hand. The US is just saying it will be more stable if they just took care of the DNS (Domain Name Service[The thing that reads www.google.com and turns it into 64.233.161.99]). If this service were to be shut down or compromised. It could be a disaster by modern terms, I mean look at how much we use the internet for, well everything from shopping to e-trading. Needless to say it could cause some big commerce issues.

Originally posted by Amorymeltzer

A group of 13 computers in private hands are known as root servers. They contain approved lists of net suffixes such as .com, known as the Domain Name System (DNS). This matches up numerical addresses on the global computer network with easy-to-remember names such as www.amazon.com.

It's not the technology (everyone's got it, you just need a computer). We've got the data, the capability, the everything. It's not controlling the internet - that's an absurd idea, simply impossible - it's keeping track of it, keeping it running as we know it. I believe you've misinterpreted the article.

maybe i did hey you know about DNS hrm ive just passed the compTIA a+ im just wondering if you have done the network + sorry a little off topic

Originally posted by TheJeSta
As for the first to invent/use the 'internet'. That would be some MIT guys in the 1960's.

Psh Al Gore invented the Internet, everyone knows that!

DNS administration is one thing that really must be centralized here in the US, because this is where InterNIC (well, whats left of InterNIC... now split up into all sorts of rinky dink crap) is located. As well as all the root name servers:

/etc/namedb/named.root
; This file is made available by InterNIC
; under anonymous FTP as
; file /domain/named.root
; on server FTP.INTERNIC.NET

This little file is what makes the Internet work. It must be maintained locally. Otherwise, you run into the problems that are already popping up, with Nigerians pumping out fraudulent DNS info in attempt to steal people's account infos and money.

If XXX Country were able to manage network information, beyond the existing level of administration one level below root (the .XX country suffix), everything would go down the toilet in a mass of network confusion and conflicts.

wow this went right over you're guys heads eh? if some kinda NWO is coming the last thing you want is the US govt controlling the internet...they would have an easy way to see many rebellion sites or things like that..either way this is a horrible thing to be happening if it does

It's completely impossible for america to control the internet even if they shut off every single computer in the entire country including the root servers there the internet would buzz happily along for everyone else.

Devices connected to the internet require (either directly or indirectly) the root servers in order to "discover" any domains that have been added, removed etc...unless you want to start using raw IP addresses instead of nice friendly domain names.

You pull the root servers down and goodbye internet. It might take a few days, but eventually, the whole thing will come crashing down.

The wording of the article is a bit misleading, it's actually referring to who manages the main root servers and backbone(s) of the net. This always has been the US and realistically, always will be. The logistics of moving root servers somewhere else or moving backbones without significantly affecting the net are crazy imo, not to mention each root server needs to keep synchronised with all the others which gets increasinly difficult the more they are spread around the globe, with faster/slower connections etc...at least, that's how I understand it