[discuss] [governance] U.S. to Give Up Oversight of Web Policymaking Body

Sat Mar 15 18:55:10 UTC 2014

On Mar 15, 2014, at 12:59 PM, Michel Gauthier <mg at telepresse.com> wrote:

> this depends on what you call status-quo. On the face of it, it is true that a transfer of NTIA decisions to ICANN looks like a change. However that change is an increase of the status-quo:

"that change is an increase in the status-quo"....  a truly remarkable phrase.

> ICANN will be under the control of its US StatusHolders. This will simplify the task of the NTIA and increase its indirect influence on the whole process. They would not have done it otherwise.

I see - you assert that their influence is increasing at each phase: first with 
formation of ICANN, then termination of the JPA, and now via the phase-out of
of the IANA contract... all of these are steps in NTIA's sinister master plan?

> Actually the NTIA will become the referee of the Multi-ICANN-StatusHolders common orientations, a more powerful master of the game, actually the "deus ex machina" since it will not have direct visible ties anymore.

Indeed!  I hear that eventually NTIA won't even have to attend all of the Internet 
community meetings, but instead will just control the outcomes from their stronghold 
using nothing but their mighty telepathic powers!  ;-)

Please let me know when the comic book goes on sale - thanks! 
:-)
/John

p.s.  For those who actually believe that NTIA is trying to respond to the desires of
      the global Internet community via this latest announcement, it would be worth
      considering what structures and mechanisms for accountability of the IANA system 
      would be most appropriate in a world absent NTIA's direct oversight.

Disclaimer: My views alone. Comic book plot is entirely a work of fiction - names,
            institutions, organizations, events or locales are entirely coincidental.