back to article US looks at plan to hand over world's DNS – and screams blue murder

The US government official in charge of the critical Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) contract wants a course change in how the globe's core DNS systems will be moved out of Uncle Sam's hands. In a speech at the State of the Net conference in Washington DC on Tuesday, assistant commerce secretary Larry Strickling …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The simplest and best solution

    is to create a distributed, autonomous, self-regulated system, so no one can interfere with DNS against another's wish.

    The world isn't ready for a fair or accountable organisation to handle the DNS since the majority of the world is not a democratic republic. Even should that come eventually, it'd still be best to get rid of potential for "human" errors.

    1. P. Lee
      Joke

      Re: The simplest and best solution

      >The world isn't ready for a fair or accountable organisation to handle the DNS since the majority of the world is not a democratic republic.

      I've fixed the icon for you.

      What makes a republic a particularly good idea? What makes you think there is an effective democracy in place at the moment?

      Thanks for the giggles! :D

      1. Robert Helpmann??
        Childcatcher

        Re: The simplest and best solution

        What makes a republic a particularly good idea?

        It isn't, but it's better than the alternatives.

        1. MrXavia

          Re: The simplest and best solution

          But is it the best though?

          A benevolent dictator can be better than a corrupt republic...

          You can be free under a monarchy but oppressed in a democracy...

          It matters not what the system is, it matters who ends up in power....

          1. Dan Paul

            Re: The simplest and best solution

            is no change to the way the system is handled at all.

            There NEVER has been such a thing as a "benevolent" Dictator. They are always as corrupt as any Republic could be. "Benevolence" is usually reserved for friends and family, if at all. See China, Russia, North Korea etc. for examples.

            There is no "Freedom" under a Monarchy because that freedom can be taken away at will for no reason by the ruling class. Happens all the time. See any and all Monarchies (including the UK) for examples.

            You monarchists, communists and socialists will see it differently.

        2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

          Re: The simplest and best solution

          With a republic you can vote for the head of state but you always end up with a politician.

  2. JohnMurray

    What makes you think that a robust, infallible and tamper-proof system is what the PTB want?

    I can see the benefits of a global internet that is fully compliant with political and security needs: Can't you?

  3. Missing Semicolon Silver badge
    Joke

    Get Linus to do it

    It wouldn't take him long, and any interference is likely to be met by an (-other) elevated finger :-)

    1. Tom 13

      Re: Get Linus to do it

      Get real!

      There's no way Linus would touch a **** sandwich like this. Those ******* can just *** off and fix it themselves given their ******-** code is such a steam pile of **** that even the flies won't land on it.

      What a ******* moron.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Obvious results

    Nobody gives up control unless it benefits them in some way. This should prove to everybody once and for all that this is an attempt to seize control on a global scale. To transfer power of the internet under the U.N. or equivilent.

    This would quickly result in American owned sites being taken off line because somebody in China or the Middle East decided your web site offends them. It paves the way for infringing on our rights.

    In the United States, I believe many people will start fighting over events like this.

    Many are working very hard to completely eliminate any need for DNS.

    1. Dan Paul

      Re: Obvious results

      I am in complete agreement, no political, religious or social concern should be allowed to derail any websites in another country.

      The United Nations (an oxymoron if there ever was one) has a track record of doing the wrong thing for soley political reasons. Control over the Internet by similar agencies will be a spectacular failure and as you say this is an "Obvious" attempt to censor the Internet

      Where is the UN spine to take on Islamic Terrorism? Nowhere, because they are all chickenshits. Do they condemn it? Depends on who you ask. They'd rather condemn Israel than anything to do with Islam.

      I say no transfer of anything! No one can prove they can do it better and I am unwilling to listen to the speeches of politicians because it means their lips are moving, much like my bowels.

    2. Yes Me Silver badge
      WTF?

      Not obvious at all

      " this is an attempt to seize control on a global scale. To transfer power of the internet under the U.N. or equivilent."

      Um, you have no idea what you're talking about. It's true that the ITU has always had its eyes on this but there is no proposal whatever to give it to them.

      "Many are working very hard to completely eliminate any need for DNS."

      Um, you have no idea what you're talking about.

  5. bob, mon!

    What is the NTIA?

    That acronym's expansion seems to have disappeared into the editing....

    1. Yes Me Silver badge

      Re: What is the NTIA?

      It's a department of the US Department of Commerce. I'm sure it stands for something but it doesn't really matter.

      http://www.ntia.doc.gov/

  6. Michael Seven

    Stick With What Works

    The current system works. Why are we trying to change it, is it broken? The one thing that has allowed the internet's phenomenal growth is stability at its core. Stability is also part of America's DNA. Likewise, its currency is stable. I wouldn't want another country to manage the dollar. Why let anyone else manage the internet's stability? I'm sure many countries are up for the job but I see not reason to move it from its current secure environment.

    1. Yes Me Silver badge

      Re: Stick With What Works

      "Why are we trying to change it, is it broken? "

      What's broken is that the US Government holds a contract with ICANN, and most people outside the US find this appearance of governmental control obnoxious. So the question is: if this contract is allowed to lapse, is anything needed to replace it?

      1. Michael Seven

        Re: Stick With What Works

        I gather from what you are saying is that ICANN is not needed. So if contracts are not needed we should also remove them from domain name registrations. In essence we have a ladder of authority. Contracts do tether commitments. Either the internet is run in a hierarchical format or decentralized structure. I prefer it hierarchical with leadership that only flexes its muscle in chaotic times to bring back order.

  7. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
    Joke

    over-engineered a solution

    Yes, well, every stakeholder [group] must be properly represented by a highly paid executive who can attend all the meetings, regularly held in various countries around the world (to be fair to all). Odd that they all seem to be warm countries with nice beaches

  8. fromSingapore

    that about the crada contract between verisign and the us government?

    seems pointless from a geopolitical perspective to just move the iana functions contract out of the us government when the final point that can make changes to the root zone file is verisign - a us company with many us government contracts - and in particular contracted by the us governemnt to managge and distribute the root zone file. lets not rush the transition.

    simple is good btw. agree with mr strickling. keep it simple. dont need another itu like complicated structure to replace ntia. The AoC is a good start.

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