This last week the buzz began that the US Congress would be discussing the possibility of the UN taking over control of the Internet. This would not be a big deal if this story had been posted on the Onion or coming from the Daily Show but it is not a joke. The Hill reported that the House will discuss
an international proposal next week to give the United Nations more control over the Internet. READ THE ENTIRE STORY HERE.
The part of the article in The Hill that made this story the most ridiculous is that the UN will be holding these Internet discussion in Dubai which is located in the United Arab Emirates.
My family and I spent 2010 in the Middle East. We saw first hand cases of government control over content, movies, video games, and Internet. While we were in the Middle East I kept a journal of experiences but I didn't blog about it. I applaud the bloggers, poets, musicians and writers who are publishing and performing their work against all odds.
The experience left us all a bit unnerved and uncomfortable. It was difficult knowing that even our well guarded comments could have been misconstrued and might have landed us in trouble. The laws were difficult to find and the "rules" were vague and open to great interpretation. See the Dubai Code of Conduct.
At the same time the House is even considering having a discussion about UN control of the Internet this article came out about bloggers in the Middle East:
The part of the article in The Hill that made this story the most ridiculous is that the UN will be holding these Internet discussion in Dubai which is located in the United Arab Emirates.
My family and I spent 2010 in the Middle East. We saw first hand cases of government control over content, movies, video games, and Internet. While we were in the Middle East I kept a journal of experiences but I didn't blog about it. I applaud the bloggers, poets, musicians and writers who are publishing and performing their work against all odds.
The experience left us all a bit unnerved and uncomfortable. It was difficult knowing that even our well guarded comments could have been misconstrued and might have landed us in trouble. The laws were difficult to find and the "rules" were vague and open to great interpretation. See the Dubai Code of Conduct.
At the same time the House is even considering having a discussion about UN control of the Internet this article came out about bloggers in the Middle East:
additionally:
Trial of UAE bloggers set to resume July 2011
I was going to say that I can't believe that our government would even discuss the issue of UN control of the Internet but I am glad to live in a country where we can have this discussion. Let's just make sure our elected officials know that we do not want imposed censorship of the Internet especially from other countries. It is our First Amendment Right.
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