"Control of the Internet" Update

Since I am on the subject of updates of old posts, I just read an article that makes me feel a little better about another topic that bothers me. That is the issue of who should be in control of the Internet.

A senior U.S. official rejected calls on Thursday for a U.N. body to take over control of the main computers that direct traffic on the Internet, reiterating U.S. intentions to keep its historical role as the medium's principal overseer.

The article goes on to say that some countries are complaining about the lack of addresses, but let's get real here for a second. I'm certainly not an expert on the workings of the internet, but I don't really think that there are a lack of addresses. Certainly, there is a limit to the number of .com websites that are possible, but that doesn't mean that new domains can't be created. As it is there are already plenty.

The real issue I see as paramount here is that of free and open speech. It is already disturbing enough that Yahoo! acted in cooperation with the Communist Chinese government in jailing a journalist. I don't even want to imagine the potential loss of freedoms if the Internet was governed by individuals that wanted to limit political debate. Conspiracy theorists can say what they will about our Patriot Act, but none can deny that we have a society very open to the expression of various opinions.