Memo To United Nations: Hands Off The Internet!

Today's Wall Street Journal has an opinion piece about the attempts being made by a faction at the U.N. to take control of the Internet from ICANN. For those who don't know, this non-profit group supervises the governance of the Internet. The aforementioned U.N. group attempting this power grab includes such stalwarts of freedom as Cuba, China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.

You'll have to buy the paper or visit your local library as The Wall Street Journal charges for content, so there's no link. I am far to worked up about this threat to our freedom to type it all in for you.

In sum, the U.S backed ICANN has done a fine job to date managing domain names and the growth of the Internet. Just look at how the present management structure has enhanced competition, freedom of expression, and access to information. It is hard to imagine that Cuba and China would have the same sense of urgency to preserve these principles. They have done nothing in the past 50 years to prove otherwise and are simply looking at the U.N. as a means to perpetuate their control at home.

Our response to this threat should be understood by all who read this: If we allow the U.N. to expand it's portfolio, the stability and reliability of the Internet will be threatened. This is a matter of National Security and part of the foundation for the United States' current preeminence in world affairs and our prosperity at home. In my humble opinion, it is without a doubt part of our responsibility to future generations, in the words of The WSJ, to "safeguard the full potential of the new information society that the Internet has brought into being." We can not allow the Internet to become an instrument of censorship and political supression. Who can say with a clear conscience that Cuba, China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia would do so well in safeguarding these freedoms that we have long held to be self-evident?

UPDATE: Stepping on the toes of Paul's post, I provide a link to the WSJ article with a hat tip to Wizbang.