[liberationtech] Critically Examining "What Would Happen" if the U.N. (or another international body) Administered the Internet?

[Zack Brisson]

Informed minds of Lib-Tech,

During previous heated
discussions<http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/dec/14/telecoms-treaty-internet-unregulated>of
a potential "UN Takeover" of Internet administration, I never
critically
challenged the claim that it would lead to a set of de-centralized
sub-Internets, allowing autocratic regimes to greatly increase their
ability to censor/shut-down/monitor Internet usage. But I've seen the claim
now re-made in the context of Snowden and
Russia<http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/001057.html>,
which has raised new questions about the validity of the assertions.

Does anyone know of a critical examination of the set of related ideas?
Have there been nuanced and balanced explorations of how the U.N. (or
another international organ) could serve as reasonably equitable hub for a
multi-stakeholder Internet from actors others than those with a clear
position biasing their analysis? Having worked closely with the U.N., I am
under no illusions as its infallibility or consistent effectiveness. But is
this "End of the Internet/Internet Freedom" truly an inevitable outcome for
either technical or political reasons?

I would appreciate any resources or perspective that those on Liberation
Tech could share. I am not familiar enough with network engineering to
fully understand all the technical aspects of relevance, but know enough
that I should be able to interpret most well-written pieces of analysis.

Many thanks for your consideration.
Zack
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