.XXX Puzzle Pieces Start to Come Together: And the Picture is Ugly

Mike AI · 08-24-2005

http://www.circleid.com/article/1175_0_1_0_C/

Americans who worried about governments somehow "running" the Internet through the United Nations failed to see the Trojan Horses that were rolled into ICANN's structure in 1998: the Governmental "Advisory" Committee and the special US Government powers over ICANN.

The attempt by the US Commerce Department to "recall" the delegation of .xxx to ICM Registry due to pressure from deluded right-wing groups in the US who think that it will add to pornography on the Internet is a major inflection point in the history of ICANN, and could represent the beginning of the end of its private sector/civil society based model of governance.

The issue is not only an assertion of censorship powers over top level domains, but the sudden assertion of authority through the GAC to overrule or veto decisions made by ICANN's own processes and its Board.

And what kind of authority did GAC have to do this? The more one learns about this sorry episode, the more disturbing the details look.

The US did NOT voice opposition to the .xxx domain in the Luxembourg GAC meeting. And the GAC itself did NOT pass a resolution or go through any formal process to ask to recall the delegation. What really happened is that the US Commerce Department basically ordered ICANN to delay it and then "politely requested" the GAC Chairman (who is known to be close to the US) to send a letter to ICANN so that the order would have some legitimate "cover."

Here is a recitation of the relevant facts:

* At Luxembourg (July 9-15), neither the GAC nor the US made a request to stop the delegation. Other governments merely voiced their concern that "its creation will prompt significant public policy and public interest issues."

* All the outraged letters from Christian conservatives (and pornographers posing as such - that's another interesting detail) came into the Commerce Dept. weeks before the Luxembourg meeting. If the US was really motivated solely by the "6000 letters" mentioned by Mr. Gallagher in his letter to ICANN (PDF), why did it take no action in Luxembourg?

* Because that was before Mr. David A. Sampson, a new Commerce Dept official with strong ties to the religious right in the US, was appointed. Sampson was confirmed by the Senate as Deputy Secretary of Commerce July 22.

* The US Commerce Dept letter to ICANN is dated August 11, about two weeks after Sampson was appointed.

* The GAC Chairman's letter to ICANN is dated August 12, and obviously follows the US initiative.

* The US letter was buried in the "Correspondence" section of ICANN's web site.

* The GAC letter was put on the front page, providing a nice cover for the US initiative.

So here's the full picture. We have just learned that a relatively minor change in political appointees in the Bush White House can, thanks to the USG's special authority over the Internet, yank the rug out from anything ICANN does. We have learned that the GAC, which technically has no more authority over ICANN than the At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) and LESS authority than its GNSO, ASO and CCSO supporting organizations, can without even a formal resolution of its members, bring processes taking years and millions of dollars to a crashing halt. And this can occur with even a formal resolution, just because the US Commerce Department asks the GAC Chairman to send a letter.

Don't talk to me about the "UN taking over the Internet." Please.

DrGuile · 08-24-2005

hrm, problem is, we all want .xxx to be recalled because of entirely different reasons...

So do we applaud the US Gov. decision, or complain that they are infringing on the freedom of the internet, meaning, giving support to the scam that is .xxx

Rock <-> Us <-> Hard place

Mike AI · 08-24-2005

Well personally I am against .XXX, and am comfortable with the US gov't control over the net like it has been since the begining.

DrGuile · 08-24-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike AI

[i] am comfortable with the US gov't control over the net like it has been since the begining.

well sure, but you're a fascist

edit for spelling

Mike AI · 08-24-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrGuile

well sure, but you're a fascist

edit for spelling

Without the US, there would be no interenet.

I think it has paid off pretty well for the rest of the world. Including our industrious neighbors to the North!

*KK* · 08-24-2005

Haha, I've heard Michael described as a lot of things but Fascist is a new one!

DrGuile · 08-24-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by *KK*

Haha, I've heard Michael described as a lot of things but Fascist is a new one!

Well, Sergei called giving prizes to mods 'heresy' (well he called it 'heracy'...)...

gotta push that envelope

How are you Kimmy?

Rolo · 08-24-2005

The XXX tld is prehaps the most controversial TLD ever, and its disturbing that the power to create such a TLD is with a group of technical "nerds" at ICANN who have ZERO insight in politics. The ICANN board members have science degrees, and worked for years with telecommunications... how does that qualify them approve a TLD such as the XXX??

Should we let a board of Professors of Ethics and Philosophy decide what new technical standards we should use in the next generation of the Internet Protocol? (rhetorical question)

If they do approve the XXX tld, then I´m sure that ICANN is done. If they do not approve the XXX tld, then they have showed who bad the whole ICANN structure is... either way ICANN have opened pandora's box - I hope the bribe was worth it.

grimm · 08-24-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrGuile

well sure, but you're a fascist

edit for spelling

fascists are too liberal

Mike AI · 08-24-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by grimm

fascists are too liberal

HAHA I am just misunderstood. I am a teddy bear.

grimm · 08-24-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike AI

HAHA I am just misunderstood. I am a teddy bear.

full of rainbows and puppy dogs

Winetalk.com · 08-24-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrGuile

Well, Sergei called giving prizes to mods 'heresy' (well he called it 'heracy'...)...

gotta push that envelope

How are you Kimmy?

can you make a post on Oprano without getting my name involved?????

If either MikeAI or me could spell for shit, we could have never run a business together due to "spelling" envy.

Nickatilynx · 08-24-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winetalk.com

can you make a post on Oprano without getting my name involved?????

If either MikeAI or me could spell for shit, we could have never run a business together due to "spelling" envy.

Shakes - fucking - peare!!!

;-))

DrGuile · 08-25-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winetalk.com

can you make a post on Oprano without getting my name involved?????

If either MikeAI or me could spell for shit, we could have never run a business together due to "spelling" envy.

Ive mentioned you what? Twice?

But eh, shows you're not immune to being a little rattled.

08-24-2005	#1
Mike AI Administrator Want to see your own Advertising Here! Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 11,618	.XXX Puzzle Pieces Start to Come Together: And the Picture is Ugly http://www.circleid.com/article/1175_0_1_0_C/ Americans who worried about governments somehow "running" the Internet through the United Nations failed to see the Trojan Horses that were rolled into ICANN's structure in 1998: the Governmental "Advisory" Committee and the special US Government powers over ICANN. The attempt by the US Commerce Department to "recall" the delegation of .xxx to ICM Registry due to pressure from deluded right-wing groups in the US who think that it will add to pornography on the Internet is a major inflection point in the history of ICANN, and could represent the beginning of the end of its private sector/civil society based model of governance. The issue is not only an assertion of censorship powers over top level domains, but the sudden assertion of authority through the GAC to overrule or veto decisions made by ICANN's own processes and its Board. And what kind of authority did GAC have to do this? The more one learns about this sorry episode, the more disturbing the details look. The US did NOT voice opposition to the .xxx domain in the Luxembourg GAC meeting. And the GAC itself did NOT pass a resolution or go through any formal process to ask to recall the delegation. What really happened is that the US Commerce Department basically ordered ICANN to delay it and then "politely requested" the GAC Chairman (who is known to be close to the US) to send a letter to ICANN so that the order would have some legitimate "cover." Here is a recitation of the relevant facts: * At Luxembourg (July 9-15), neither the GAC nor the US made a request to stop the delegation. Other governments merely voiced their concern that "its creation will prompt significant public policy and public interest issues." * All the outraged letters from Christian conservatives (and pornographers posing as such - that's another interesting detail) came into the Commerce Dept. weeks before the Luxembourg meeting. If the US was really motivated solely by the "6000 letters" mentioned by Mr. Gallagher in his letter to ICANN (PDF), why did it take no action in Luxembourg? * Because that was before Mr. David A. Sampson, a new Commerce Dept official with strong ties to the religious right in the US, was appointed. Sampson was confirmed by the Senate as Deputy Secretary of Commerce July 22. * The US Commerce Dept letter to ICANN is dated August 11, about two weeks after Sampson was appointed. * The GAC Chairman's letter to ICANN is dated August 12, and obviously follows the US initiative. * The US letter was buried in the "Correspondence" section of ICANN's web site. * The GAC letter was put on the front page, providing a nice cover for the US initiative. So here's the full picture. We have just learned that a relatively minor change in political appointees in the Bush White House can, thanks to the USG's special authority over the Internet, yank the rug out from anything ICANN does. We have learned that the GAC, which technically has no more authority over ICANN than the At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) and LESS authority than its GNSO, ASO and CCSO supporting organizations, can without even a formal resolution of its members, bring processes taking years and millions of dollars to a crashing halt. And this can occur with even a formal resolution, just because the US Commerce Department asks the GAC Chairman to send a letter. Don't talk to me about the "UN taking over the Internet." Please. __________________ Make big money on your Domains! Why wait 40 days to get paid with the other guys? Parked.com pays the most for your traffic, and cuts checks twice a month!

08-24-2005	#2
DrGuile french with welsh tendancies Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,007	Re: .XXX Puzzle Pieces Start to Come Together: And the Picture is Ugly hrm, problem is, we all want .xxx to be recalled because of entirely different reasons... So do we applaud the US Gov. decision, or complain that they are infringing on the freedom of the internet, meaning, giving support to the scam that is .xxx Rock <-> Us <-> Hard place __________________ LiveBucks / Privatefeeds - Giving you money since 1999 Up to 40% Commission! 25% Webmaster Referal

08-24-2005	#3
Mike AI Administrator Want to see your own Advertising Here! Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 11,618	Re: .XXX Puzzle Pieces Start to Come Together: And the Picture is Ugly Well personally I am against .XXX, and am comfortable with the US gov't control over the net like it has been since the begining. __________________ Make big money on your Domains! Why wait 40 days to get paid with the other guys? Parked.com pays the most for your traffic, and cuts checks twice a month!

08-24-2005	#6
KK Members Respin bullshit press Your Comments Are Welcomed Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 2,581	Re: .XXX Puzzle Pieces Start to Come Together: And the Picture is Ugly Haha, I've heard Michael described as a lot of things but Fascist is a new one!

08-24-2005	#8
Rolo Members Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Six Feet Under Posts: 2,150	Re: .XXX Puzzle Pieces Start to Come Together: And the Picture is Ugly The XXX tld is prehaps the most controversial TLD ever, and its disturbing that the power to create such a TLD is with a group of technical "nerds" at ICANN who have ZERO insight in politics. The ICANN board members have science degrees, and worked for years with telecommunications... how does that qualify them approve a TLD such as the XXX?? Should we let a board of Professors of Ethics and Philosophy decide what new technical standards we should use in the next generation of the Internet Protocol? (rhetorical question) If they do approve the XXX tld, then I´m sure that ICANN is done. If they do not approve the XXX tld, then they have showed who bad the whole ICANN structure is... either way ICANN have opened pandora's box - I hope the bribe was worth it. __________________ "Chaos is the law of nature, order is the dream of man." ~Henry B. Adams (Historian) 1838-1918