[governance] [liberationtech] Chinese preparing for a "Autonomous Internet" ?

[Louis Pouzin (well)]

On Fri, Jun 22, 2012 at 6:25 AM, parminder <parminder at itforchange.net>wrote:

> **
>
> I think we had cleared this level long back in our argument that we are
> *not* any longer discussing the 'technical possibility' of the root server
> operators not publishing the authoritative root zone file but the
> 'socio-political' likelihood that they would in fact do such a thing.
> Stephanie had spoken of this likelihood and not the 'technical
> possibility', and, in this regard, expressed disagreement with David. To
> quote Stephanie's email "unless its operator decides to break free; unlike
> David Conrad, I regard this as highly unlikely.......... "
>
> And since you answered to this statement with an apology of possible
> misunderstanding, I was confounded, because I thought you have been saying
> all along that you indeed think that if the US did interfere with the root,
> the root server operators, other than the one under US gov contract, will
> in fact 'break free'. (Lee and others supported and built on this argument
> as the principal element in the discussion about possible misuse of US's
> control over the root.)
>
> I repeat, I dont think such 'breaking free' is likely and therefore the so
> called current distributed root server architecture *does not* provide us
> protection against likely improper interference of the US with the root.
>
> parminder
>
> - - -
>

You are dead right, Parminder. But there are plenty of smart net
professionals who know how to twist the architecture.

In case of USG interference with the ICANN root zone, predicting the
reactions of the 3 non US based root servers is rather uncertain. Their
operators may be politically sensitive and under pressure exerted by the
powers that be.

However, the rumor of root poisoning would spread like bush fire across
social nets. As there are zillions of root copies in ISPs, corporate nets,
and even individual computers, it would not take long to switch to servers
feeding a previous correct version (remember Wikileaks). Then Verisign
would apologize for an unfortunate snafu in an updating operation, and
business would return to usual. A positive effect would be a debunking of
the central root myth.

There could be as well negative effects on some users and institutions. Who
knows ? Then they would realize that they are living under a Damocles
sword. If they don't like it, it's up to them to consider practical
alternatives.

- - -
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