<nettime> "Internet meltdown"

[geert <geert@xs4all.nl>]

(an 'emergency' conference is organized in LA... Is it that bad? Should
I turn into a professional optimist if Internet apocalypses are being
taught out of the LAX vicinity? Mark Davis wrote a nice book about that
topic. Geert)

http://www.pfir.org/meltdown

PFIR Conference Announcement:
"Preventing the Internet Meltdown"
Monday, July 26 through Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Furama Hotel
Los Angeles, California, USA

"A continuing and rapidly escalating series of alarming events suggest
that immediate cooperative, specific planning is necessary if we are to
have any chance of avoiding the meltdown. "Red flag" warning signs are
many. A merely partial list includes attempts to manipulate key network
infrastructures such as the domain name system; lawsuits over Internet
regulatory issues (e.g. VeriSign and domain registrars vs. ICANN);
serious issues of privacy and security; and ever-increasing spam, virus,
and related problems, along with largely ad hoc or non-coordinated
"anti-spam" systems that may do more harm than good and may cause
serious collateral damage. 

All facets of Internet users and a vast range of critical applications
are at risk from the meltdown. Commercial firms, schools, nonprofit and
governmental organizations, home users, and everybody else around the
world whose lives are touched in some way by the Internet (and that's
practically everyone) are likely to be seriously and negatively
impacted.

Most of these problems are either directly or indirectly the result of
the Internet's lack of responsible and fair planning related to Internet
operations and oversight. A perceived historical desire for a "hands
off" attitude regarding Internet "governance" has now resulted not only
in commercial abuses, and the specter of lawsuits and courts dictating
key technical issues relating to the Net, but has also invited
unilateral actions by organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and
International Telecommunications Union (ITU) that could profoundly
affect the Internet and its users in unpredictable ways.

Representatives from commercial firms, educational institutions,
governmental entities, nonprofit and other organizations, and any other
interested parties are invited to participate at this conference.
International participation is most definitely encouraged."


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