The UN does not belong in the Internet business!

[irv]

The End Of Internet Freedom? U.N. Opens 10-Day Talks On Web Regulation (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/03/the-end-of-internet-freed_n_2230837.html)
I'm getting feed up with people sticking there noses in where they don't belong. I know that the US and EU are against this.

EDIT: don't forget to watch the videos on this web link.

[mips]

The UN does not belong period, it's the most useless, biased & hypocritical organisation out there being controlled by a few.

[Paqman]

We like to think that the internet is some kind of vast freewheeling self-organising system, but in reality most of the organisation and fundamental infrastructure is managed by governments and large organisations.

With this in mind a forum for intergovernmental cooperation seems essential. If not done under the UN framework a functionally equivalent forum would be needed.

[irv]

In my opinion the Internet is doing just fine. We don't need anybody trying to regulate it. I believe in freewheeling.
It's not broken so it don't need fix'en.

[jonathantrent]

I think the US and Eu would have a very difficult time coming to an agreement about web regulation, but that's not to say it's not possible. <snip>

[KiwiNZ]

Politics and Religion: These two topics have caused serious problems in the past and are now forbidden topics in the forums. Please find another venue to exercise your freedom of speech on these topics.

Thread closed

Edit; following a request I am reviewing this thread to see if it can be reopened.

[Elfy]

I've re-opened the thread.

Any non-IT related talk about the UN will lead to warnings or infractions, posts being jailed or the thread being closed again.

Please also bear in mind this from the Cafe description


Any topic or discussion that causes problems or drama will be closed.

[irv]

Elfy, Thank you again for re-opening this discussion. I concur that we need to keep to the subject of regulating the Internet and not the UN.
Like I said I don't believe anyone should be able to set restrictions on our free and open source of world wide communication period.
Maybe you would like your voice heard. Go to this link.
https://www.google.com/intl/en/takeaction/?utm_source=social

[Grenage]

I'm curious what their proposals are, does anyone have any decent links? All of the articles I've read are mostly doom-mongering.

[Paqman]

Here you go (http://www.itu.int/en/wcit-12/Pages/overview.aspx).

Seems like a storm in a teacup to me. They're not suggesting that the internet be managed any differently to how it is now, they're just talking about formalising some standards.

[Grenage]

Here you go (http://www.itu.int/en/wcit-12/Pages/overview.aspx).

Seems like a storm in a teacup to me. They're not suggesting that the internet be managed any differently to how it is now, they're just talking about formalising some standards.

Cheers for the link, and my that's quite a document they're reviewing. I'm not sure I'm worried about this, but I suppose a 'review' could lead anywhere.

[KiwiNZ]

The problem with these type of reviews is that it brings the subject to the attention of the control freaks that don't really understand the subject but see an opportunity for mileage.

[mips]

post removed

[Elfy]

The point I was making when I reopened this, and one Id imagine irv was replying to is -

talk about the UN and this Internet issue - bring up anything else about the UN and the thread will be closed and not re-opened.

Easy enough I'd have thought.

[irv]

Today it hit the News. And what the news is reporting is that there are already laws in many countries that are against cybercrimes and copyright law, so that isn't the problem, it is about those wanting to take control of the Internet. We don't need anyone or anything taking control. It is free and open and we want to keep it that way.
I am again things going on on the Internet, but it is not my place to say what should be out here and what shouldn't. That's what freedom is all about. If I don't like it, I don't use it or go there. I have that freedom also. Isn't this great, and I want to keep it that way.
Millions of people with cameras all over the world taking photos and videos and posting them on the Internet for all to see. Now we are seeing things even the news is not showing us. I know we can't believe everything we see and hear, but we can sort through all this ourselves.

[KiwiNZ]

The internet is already under control. Your actions on the internet are governed by the laws of country in which you live. There is an erroneous perception that the internet is above or out of the jurisdiction of current law it is not.

There is possibly the need for review of law in some states in order for laws to be updated to reflect the ever changing internet.

[irv]

The internet is already under control. Your actions on the internet are governed by the laws of country in which you live. There is an erroneous perception that the internet is above or out of the jurisdiction of current law it is not.

There is possibly the need for review of law in some states in order for laws to be updated to reflect the ever changing internet.

Very good point, things do change so sometimes laws also need to change. But the regulations don't. Just enforce the law.

[forrestcupp]

The U.S. tried to get this discussion off of the table. But the U.N. Secretary General said that we need this discussion, and that the thrust of it would be about how to get internet to underdeveloped nations. If that's really what they're going to be discussing, I don't have a problem with it.

[irv]

The U.S. tried to get this discussion off of the table. But the U.N. Secretary General said that we need this discussion, and that the thrust of it would be about how to get internet to underdeveloped nations. If that's really what they're going to be discussing, I don't have a problem with it.

Now what I am going to say is not true in every underdeveloped nations, but a few years ago I was in a third world country (I will not mention names) and I couldn't believe that everyone I saw, no matter how poor was running around with a cell phone. And by the way that same place just received a shipping container full of laptop computers free for school children. I know this for a fact because I just got an email yesterday from a friend there. And this school now has Internet access.
Underdeveloped nations are getting up to speed with the rest of the world. Maybe it takes a little longer, but it is happening. You would be surprised how many are helping to make this happen.
When I made a trip there a few years ago I also took a load of desktop computers and set them all up with Ubuntu Linux. They are being used in a Library and Medical Center. Just wanted to let you know that things are happening that you might not know about.

[Artemis3]

a few years ago I was in a third world country (I will not mention names) and I couldn't believe that everyone I saw, no matter how poor was running around with a cell phone. And by the way that same place just received a shipping container full of laptop computers free for school children. I know this for a fact because I just got an email yesterday from a friend there. And this school now has Internet access.

Ah, you have been here? (joke) ;) Unfortunately, back then Ubuntu got dropped from an almost imminent national wide adoption because Shuttleworth made a very stupid pr mistake by involving himself in local politics making a very uncalled comment and picking sides in issues he clearly didn't know a thing about.

Years passed, and all deployments went with a debian based custom distro, which is what comes in those (intel classmate) netbooks for children.

PS: It's not just cellphones, its those ridiculously expensive (and slow booting) blackberries, far more fashionable than apple products here... I can't wait for RIM to go bankrupt or something :P

[Mikeb85]

Yup, the 3rd world country I visited this summer had blackberries everywhere, laptops and WiMAX. And dirt roads and cows everywhere...

[Mikeb85]

As for the UN and internet regulations, I think it's more about creating standards than adding more rules. As has been said, the internet is already regulated, it's more about countries coming to an agreement on said regulation.

[irv]

Yup, the 3rd world country I visited this summer had blackberries everywhere, laptops and WiMAX. And dirt roads and cows everywhere...

I also forgot to mention I now know where all the old VW bugs went. And they keep them running.

[mips]

I also forgot to mention I now know where all the old VW bugs went. And they keep them running.

Were you in South America somewhere by any chance? Last one was manufactured in 2003 which is not that long ago.

[Grenage]

Were you in South America somewhere by any chance? Last one was manufactured in 2003 which is not that long ago.

I assume he's talking about the 'true' bugs, from the 60s.

[mips]

I assume he's talking about the 'true' bugs, from the 60s.

Those were still made up until 2003. I'm not referring to the modern version.

[Grenage]

Wow, really? I thought that production of those ended in the 70s!

[mips]

Wow, really? I thought that production of those ended in the 70s!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Beetle#Worldwide_end_of_production

[KiwiNZ]

This has drifted way off topic, I believe we can close now