"What's Wrong with the U.N.," example 744

Rebecca MacKinnon calls attention to the alarming fact that the U.N. wants to run the Internet.

Iran has arrested its fifth blogger in less than two months, according to Reporters Without Borders. Their press release says: "At the same time, an Iranian delegate is sitting on a UN-created working group on Internet governance. The international community should condemn this masquerade."

Indeed. This is the problem I have with the U.N.'s well-meaning efforts to shape the future of internet governance. The beauty and power of the internet is that it transcends and supercedes national borders. It makes no sense for internet governance to be based on a U.N.-like jockeying of interests among national governments - many of whom don't truly represent their own citizens' interests anyway. Those of us who believe in the international free flow of ideas must fight all efforts to shape internet governance by governments (or any other entities like large corporations for that matter) who have a record of suppressing free speech.

[Hat tip, Jeff Jarvis]