It all seems so petty and vindictive. Trade with China, Russia, and Vietnam is fine, holidays in Cuba must not be publicised.
Just more fuel for the calls to move IANA/ICANN out of control of the US government and into the control of the UN. I personally don't think its warranted given the fact that the UN takes so long to get anything done however if the US continues to abuse its power/position then it would be untenable to leave such an imported role with them.
UN = suck. The UN are fairly handy when it comes to a barnload of different nations governing "peace" (in a military way) in certain areas, it really should not concern itself with the interwebs. In fact, it's fairly useless apart from getting killed because of botched rules of engagement (cfr. Rwanda, 1992/3, Belgian paratroopers being blown to bits thanks to politics). To me this is the same as saying NATO should control the interwebs - seriously... if they handle the internet as good as they handles ex-Yugoslavia, we're all pretty ****ing ****ed. Moral highground is only a perception depending on which party you support, remember? Laws controlling internet usage should be governed by international law, much like the Geneva Convention (you signed it = you abide by it). Either that or "the server in which the country is = that country's laws apply". Leaves enough choice for both user and governing bodies, and nobody gets to write a whiney blog about how they (well, their servers) were mistreated in this or that country. Choose your servers, choose your laws.
I agree the UN is not the best body to deal with it but the US (at this rate) isn't either. International isn't really any better countires ignore it at will, Iraq invasion git-mo etc, local laws are also difficult for example you sign a five year contract with a supplier a year later the administration changes and new laws are introduced meaning you have to share your customers ips with the local government you either comply or it costs you money to get out of your contract, at least the UN are fairly consisted by virtue of being very very slow to enact anything.
If the great firewall of China doesn't work then I'd say no censorship works. Sure you can cut the wires leaving the country, but I don't think that will be done... It's nothing new that USA bosses around other countries and people that don't even live on the same continent, but sure it still pisses me off. Recently a sort of censorship was started in Finland. They said to have "blocked sites that contain childporn". Sure this will sound good to the large public that mostly consists of lambs that don't even think themselves when it comes to computers (not like they did anyway), but to me that effectively sounds like they collected a list of /interesting/ sites, that people can just find out and see for themselves. FAIL.
wow they ended his hosting. so the ALLMIGHTY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!! is threatened by a british travel agent. what are we back to the days of stalinist soviet russia.
That which to some has been obvious for years has not been obvious to others whereas to some it still remains…unobvious. "those who dance are often thought crazy by those who cant hear the music"
