International Business Organization Seeks U.N. Takeover of Internet, Excludes ICANN, U.S. Government From Meeting
An organization which purports to be "the voice of world business" is proposing a de facto U.N. takeover of ICANN. The proposal by a senior official of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) would place ICANN under the U.N. umbrella and give a strong role to U.N. agencies and to various national governments, including those that suppress free speech and free enterprise. In a move of breathtaking arrogance, the ICC refused to even invite ICANN or U.S. government representatives to the meeting at which they are presenting their proposal. Any proposal or process for overhauling ICANN's governance that excludes key stakeholders is a major step backwards for the goals of openness and transparency. Furthermore, for a business group to propose giving a strong role in managing the infrastructure of the international information economy to the United Nations, an organization best known for unwieldily, costly, ineffective, and unaccountable bureaucracies, is downright strange. Corporations that contribute to the ICC may want to reconsider how best to use their shareholder's resources.