Alternative Internet versions may be risky

2010-01-29 14:48:55 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - News, Social Media News)

ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom recently discussed the risks associated with alternative Internets.

Underground attempts to create multiple Internets may pose a problem for the web.

Washington (WiredPRNews.com) – Some countries are reportedly attempting to create multiple Internets, which could present problems for the web. As reported by AFP, Internet organizer Rod Beckstrom, CEO of ICANN, or the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, recently spoke of possible risks associated with the creation of alternative Internet versions. ICANN oversees a master domain name and IP address list called “the root,” which is an essential element of web use.

Beckstrom is quoted in the report as stating of the issue, “People want to test their own capabilities to do these things and update their root zone files… Some are concerned maybe for security reasons and some want to have alternatives in case any regional problems might arise and others might have political objectives.”

Beckstrom is further quoted as stating, “Conflicts would start to develop if we had a top level domain, and someone starts using a top level domain with different addresses and assignments. If it starts creating a conflict globally, that could be a problem… That has not occurred and I think that is unlikely… I think the network effect of the Internet tends to keep people wanting to use the root.”

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Photo Credit: Wikipedia User Rod Beckstrom