FC: Markle's Zoe Baird wants governments to replace ICANN, IETF

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

Some background on Markle's Internet interests and spending:
http://www.markletaskforce.org/
http://www.markle.org/programs/_programs_policy_internetgov2.stm
http://www.markle.org/programs/_programs_policy_gipi.stm
http://www.icannwatch.org/article.php?sid=815

ICANN's Shanghai meeting starts tomorrow:
http://www.icann.org/shanghai/

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To: declan () well com
From: sorge () themail com
Subject: Markle Foundation wants an internet government
X-Priority: 3


Zoe Baird, of the Markle Foundation, on the need
to "govern" the internet

Baird's bio:

http://www.markle.org/about/_about_boardbio_baird.stm


(this is a 500 word preview)

Governing the Internet: Engaging Government,
Business, and Nonprofits.
By Zoe Baird.

http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20021101facomment9989/zoe-baird/governing-the-internet-engaging-government-business-and-nonprofits.html

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[...]

 Often, engineers set the standards and industry set the consumer models 
largely outside of the public eye. As one Internet innovator, John Perry 
Barlow, wrote in his "Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace," 
"Governments of the Industrial World, you weary giants of flesh and steel . 
. . On behalf of the future, I ask you of the past to leave us alone. . . . 
You do not know our culture, our ethics, or the unwritten codes that 
already provide our society more order than could be obtained by any of 
your impositions."

The loose and creative work of cyberspace pioneers served the Internet 
superbly as it was being formed and into its early maturation. But now some 
previously vaunted notions of efficient, private, speedy self- governance 
are failing to meet expectations. Tensions have arisen over such issues as 
whether a country has jurisdiction over Internet activities originating in 
other countries, whether regulation of content such as hate speech and 
pornography is appropriate, how different privacy protections should apply, 
and who gets space on prime virtual real estate such as dot-com. In 
addition, post-September 11 concerns about security in a networked world 
call into question the wisdom of keeping government off to the shoulder of 
the information superhighway.

[...]




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