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Re: Analyzing ICANN - The committee that would be king
While major media outlets like News.com,
ZiffDavis, and Reuters continue to suppress
the real story about ICANN, others are
telling the "untold" story.
Here's the latest from Ken Freed, a
respected member of the press:
At 07:34 AM 9/9/99 , Ken Freed wrote:
>
> ________________________________
>
> HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACTION. . .
> ________________________________
"When I finally had a breather from freelancing in early summer to catch up on
my reading about ICANN, I had far more questions than answers. I was not
expecting to discover the extent of corruption I've apparently found, that the
the gTLD faction has taken over ICANN. Truly. I was not emotionally equipped
for a stark realization of the power play in progress.
Haunted by dark visions of a despotic Internet without any press freedoms, I
began visualizing vividly how a fascist global network can lead to a fascist
world government. The visions shook me up deeply. So, bypassing possible
freelance jobs, I've devoted my summer to this analysis."
>
> Analyzing ICANN
> by Ken Freed
>
<http://www.media-visions.com/icann.htm>http://www.media-visions.com/icann.htm
"Suppose a street gang arrives during the night and declares they own the open
avenue where you live. When you awaken in the morning, you find a toll
booth at
the end of your driveway. Suppose the gang then announces they own your town,
your country, indeed our whole world. Suppose this gang starts issuing edicts
about what you can and cannot do in your own home, never asking your
permission
to control your life.
Do you accept tyranny like sheep? Or do you defend your freedom?
With protest, a scheme for Internet governance is now being implemented. The
Internet Corporation for Assigned Named and Numbers, ICANN, institutes a U.S.
White House strategy for privatizing the public Internet while expanding the
commercial domain name space beyond ".com." This unilateral U.S. move impacts
everyone on earth.
There's never been a public vote to sanction privatization.
Critics say ICANN is usurping rights that naturally belong to "we the people"
while hiding an authoritarian agenda behind a democratic disguise. Can it be
possible that ICANN really is a front for tyrannical backers? Is ICANN
illegitimate?
Is ICANN the committee that would be king?
Since the Internet already is transforming our local to global societies, are
you feeling comfortable with ICANN becoming our network government? Are you
willing for one committee to control policies affecting how you live, love,
learn, work, play, and vote?
Do you favor ICANN ruling us? Do you need more facts?"
>
> Introducing ICANN
> The committee that would be king.
>
> <http://www.media-visions.com/icann-intro.htm>http://www.media-visions.com
> /icann-intro.htm
"Tally the Board's closed-door meetings, the Board's stealth appointments of
questionable players to key postings, the Board gerrymandering membership in
advisory committees and supporting organizations and its at-large council to
favor "gTLD" players, the Board rewriting its ICANN Bylaws as suits its needs,
the Board funding itself through taxation without representation by
declaring a
fee (tax) on every domain name registration, the Board's self-destructive
streak, shown by alienating Network Solutions, the Board backing reactionary
censorship plans, the Board stonewalling all attempts to organize true
independent review, and this just a sampling. Each new week seems to bring
some
fresh cause for complaint."
>
> From gTLD-MoU to ICANN
> A short course in power politics.
>
> <http://www.media-visions.com/icann-gtld.htm>http://www.media-visions.com/
> icann-gtld.htm
>
> The ICANN Corporation
> Presumed powers & responsibilities.
>
> <http://www.media-visions.com/icann-board.htm>http://www.media-visions.com
> /icann-board.htm
"Warning: Today's ICANN Board was appointed as an "interim" board, but in
spring 1999, this cast of characters redefined itself as the "initial" board.
There was an outcry, but the coup d'etat was a fait accompli.
ICANN then proposed extending the terms of the initial Board members. Of 12
public comments filed, only two seemed to support the resolution, the rest
reflecting mixed thinking or outright antagonism. At the August meeting in
Santiago, the Board claimed a consensus for extending their terms. Afterwards,
one who'd commented reported feeling the Board had "spat on" those voicing
their "very serious concerns" about the proposal."
>
> > Advisory Committees
> Representation, but no real power.
>
> <http://www.media-visions.com/icann-advisory.htm>http://www.media-visions.
> com/icann-advisory.htm
"While the At-Large seats on the Board stay empty, the "interim" Board that
declared itself an "initial" Board stays in power. Did the Board deliberately
set membership numbers too high to attain?
Several attending the Berlin meetings told me the Board talked about
membership
demographics, so one part of the world can't dominate the membership. But the
Board has never precisely defined its formula, say critics, suggesting that
controlling membership demographics is really a form of gerrymandering, like
redefining the boundaries of Congressional districts to lock in one ethnic
vote
and lock out another, making sure that those in power get to select their own
replacements. It's another reason why critics claim ICANN is "captured," not
genuinely representative."
>
> >.Supporting Organizations
> Player consensus, but no real voice.
>
> <http://www.media-visions.com/icann-supportorg.htm>http://www.media-vision
> s.com/icann-supportorg.htm
>
> >.The DNSO
> Domain Name politics divert players.
>
> <http://www.media-visions.com/icann-dnso.htm>http://www.media-visions.com/
> icann-dnso.htm
"The biggest problem with the DNSO, critics indict, is that the constituencies
have been gerrymandered by the Board, so the gTLD-MoU faction controls
virtually every aspect of DNSO affairs. The gTLD players can foresee profits
from owning the domain name registries, just as NSI has grown wealthy. The
rest
of us, meanwhile, have no say in the ICANN decisions affecting our lives.
Contrast this with the U.S. Constitution. ICANN's advocates have compared the
Names Council and the General Assembly to the U.S. Senate and the House of
Representatives, accounting for the voices of both gentry and masses alike.
Americans of all castes can vote for Senators and Representative, however,
revealing the analogy as a fallacy, perhaps a deliberately deceptive one."
>
> Findings
> Without a public mandate, ICANN is illegitimate.
>
> <http://www.media-visions.com/icann-findings.htm>http://www.media-visions.
> com/icann-findings.htm
>
> Recommendations
> Let us ordain & establish a global Internet Constitution.
>
> <http://www.media-visions.com/icann-recommendations.htm>http://www.media-v
> isions.com/icann-recommendations.htm
> .
>
> ACTION STEPS:
> .
> Get Informed
> Links for more research.
>
> <http://www.media-visions.com/icann-informed.htm>http://www.media-visions.
> com/icann-informed.htm
>
> Get Involved
> The power of interactivity.
>
> <http://www.media-visions.com/icann-involved.htm>http://www.media-visions.
> com/icann-involved.htm
>
> __________________________
>
> Ken Freed
> Communications
> Writing and Speaking
> Denver, Colorado USA
> <mailto:kenfreed@kf.com>mailto:kenfreed@kf.com
> <mailto:ken@media-visions.com>mailto:ken@media-visions.com
> 3O3-722-211O (Voice)
> __________________________
>
> Editor & Publisher,
> Media Visions Webzine
> <http://www.media-visions.com>http://www.media-visions.com
>
> Media Journalist
> Correspondent, Cablevision
> Correspondent, TV Technology
> Correspondent, Kagan Euromedia
> Writer, Extra Extra Daily
> Other media trade magazines.
>
> Author:
> Financial Opportunities in Educational Television
> 1998, Financial Times Media & Telecoms, London
> (ISBN 1 84073 016 1)
> Interactive TV Systems, Content and Services
> 1999, Financial Times Media, London
> (Publication slated for December 1999)
>
> Speaker:
> Mediavolution 99 (Buenos Aires)
> India Internet World 98 (Delhi),
> Spring Internet World 98 (LA),
> Colombia Internet World 97 (Bogata),
> Global DBS Summit 98 (Denver),
> NAB'98 Internet Theater, (Las Vegas)
> NAB'97 Social Focus Panel (Las Vegas)
>
> ______________________________
>
> OUR VISIONS CREATE THE MEDIA
>
> AS THE MEDIA CREATE OUR VISIONS
> ______________________________
Respectfully,
Jay Fenello
President, Iperdome, Inc. 770-392-9480
-----------------------------------------------
What's your .per(sm)? http://www.iperdome.com
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is
ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third,
it is accepted as self-evident." (Arthur Schopenhauer)