Lawmakers blast U.N. 'power grab' for Internet

Lawmakers on Thursday said they are united when it comes to keeping the Internet free from centralized control and preventing the United Nations from gaining power over Web content and infrastructure.

The U.S. government wants to bring as much ammunition as possible to a December meeting in Dubai where delegations from 193 countries will discuss whether to hand governance of the Internet over to the United Nations.

The United States fears December's treaty-writing conference could turn the Internet into a political bargaining chip and could empower efforts by countries like China, Russia and Iran to erode Internet freedoms and isolate their populations.


The Tennessee Republican commended the Obama administration's efforts to thwart giving an international governing body power over the Internet.

exactly that what I thought
The lawmakers fear that countries like China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and others could politick smaller nations who have little interest in the issue to back them in giving them greater ability to isolate their populations and silence political dissidents.

www.msnbc.msn.com...

The US already has centralized control over the internet. Why it can do immoral acts like seizing other countries' domain names (e.g. gambling websites) that it should have no control over.

Why should the US have it, and not the UN?

Originally posted by repressedWhy should the US have it, and not the UN?

Why should anybody have it?

Lawmakers on Thursday said they are united when it comes to keeping the Internet free from centralized control and preventing the United Nations from gaining power over Web content and infrastructure.

Anyone really believe this?

Centralized power is congress's nom de guerre.

*rolls her eyes* Of course the US doesn't want the UN to have it. Because right now the US has control over the internet. Honestly, I'm not sure which is worse.