Vint Cerf Warns Against Evil Superpowers Taking Over the Internet

What's This?

By Lance Ulanoff2014-07-24 23:44:51 UTC

The Father of the Internet wants to lay some wisdom and warnings on all of you.

In a new video posted by Google, a cartoon version of Vint Cerf, who is widely recognized as one of the fathers of the Internet (along with Bob Kahn), explains the Internet address system and some of the near-term hurdles it faces.

See also: How to Use the Internet for Foreplay

The two-and-a-half-minute animated video is mostly an Internet Address system explainer that highlights Cerf's and Khan's role in, essentially, birthing the Internet we know and love today. The pair worked on the Internet's predecessor, a Defense Dept. project called Arpanet. As Cerf says in the video, "Like any good father, I’m going to bend your ear with a story about my kid."

However, the tone takes a bit of a left turn as Cerf explains how the United Stated is set to give up its address naming system oversight. As Mashable noted in March, "An agreement between the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is set to expire in 2015 and will not be renewed if a changeover plan is developed."

Even though the U.S. role in this process has decreased in recent years, the International community has been calling on the U.S. to relinquish its remaining control of the Internet's naming system. Google, which has employed Cerf since 2005, is, of course, a U.S.-based company. It also has a vested interest in someone watching over the system that helps assign IP addresses and web URLs. It wants to make it clear that "the U.S. isn't giving away its authority and evil super powers aren't taking over in response."

Google worries that any change in ICANN's status could leave the Internet vulnerable.

To ensure that, Google and Cerf say the U.S. is committed to placing the control of the domain name and Internet address structure system in the hands of an international multi-stakeholder community. In other words, it desperately wants ICANN to remain an independent, non-governmental body.

ICANN CEO and president Fadi Chehadé told Mashable earlier this year that giving up control will have no impact on the average consumer. However, Google's video appears to indicate there is some fear that the transition could end up in the wrong hands and reminds the viewer that a transition to a non-governmental management, international body is critical for maintaining the "purity of the Internet."

If, after watching the video, anyone is unclear about Google's intentions, the clip links to Google's Take Action website, which calls on visitors to join 3 million others who have signed on asking for a "free and open Internet"

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Topics: ICANN, US & World, Vint Cerf, World

Image: Google