[governance] [bestbits] Rousseff & Chehade: Brazil will host world event on Internet governance in 2014

[John Curran]

On Oct 19, 2013, at 5:17 AM, Mishi Choudhary <mishi at softwarefreedom.org> wrote:

> This statement still concentrates on ICANN-like functions: DNS and IP address
> assignment, no matter the desire for a  platform to discuss 'orphan issues".  
>  

> Those (ICANN like functions) are the life blood of this form of
> "Internet governance," but they're trivia to the users of the world,
> who want substantive rights that no non-governmental organization with
> headquarters in Los Angeles and two other places can
> provide or is this the usual problem of existing organizations taking themselves or their relevance
> seriously and not taking the people who make and use the Net---not
> the people who run the routers and those who like to believe
> they regulate those who run the routers---seriously at all?

The "globalization of ICANN and IANA functions, towards an environment in which 
all stakeholders, including all governments, participate on an equal footing" is
indeed a relatively small task, and as long as it is being performed appropriately
is a topic that should have little interest to the average Internet user, and only
slightly more interest to the industry and government that has interest in same.

You might compare it to the small tasks of coordinating Internet protocol port 
numbers or coordinating earth satellite orbits (I have to make both comparisons 
so that no one takes offense... ;-)  Even when done perfectly, they don't improve 
the state of the Internet; there are still be governments engaged in surveillance, 
criminal activity rampant, and industry players making use of personal data in 
surprising ways with nominal user knowledge & consent.

The fact that globalizing the ICANN/IANA functions is a relatively small task
doesn't mean it isn't worthwhile; it just means that we've got a very long road 
ahead to get the Internet to where it really should be as a tool for mankind.

I will note that the Internet itself started out with very modest capabilities in 
communications, but that early success led to the amazing functionality of today; 
in a similar way, it is possible that some success in globalizing this ICANN/IANA 
foundational piece may prove important in a small way when dealing with the bigger 
questions that you noted in your email.  I'm going to respond separately regarding 
those questions, because you note some real challenges that deserve their own 
consideration.

/John

Disclaimer:  My views alone. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single 
             step." - Lao-tzu



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