This has pretty much been an ongoing debate in the GIS community ever since the WTC bombings. Google’s offereings pretty much brings this debate into a more open arena. What’s interesting is that the we’re seeing a larger group of countries from different regions beginning to complain. This issue is just going to get bigger and bigger with each passing day – how much information is too much? I wonder what the incidence of terrorism verses the countries that are complaining? I can’t imagine the Netherlands having a huge terrorist problem.

The Wired article

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You may or may not already know this, but a controversy that could change the way the Internet is run has been simmering since the spring and now will be coming to a head next month at the U.N. meeting on the Information Society. Basically, the US has always controlled the root servers for the Internet, through the private company known as ICANN. During the Clinton administration, a memorandum of understanding was apparently signed saying the US would eventually give up some of that control. In April, the Bush administration announced that the US would no longer be abiding by that agreement. There have been tense negotiations since then, but after no luck getting the US to budge, the European Union and the UN are now putting together a coalition to wrest control of the Internet from the US at the meeting in Tunisia in November. The implications of this will be far-reaching, and anyone who depends on the Internet should be paying attention to how this plays out.

The Guardian, a UK newspaper has been covering this, and you might want to check out their most recent article

US media outlets have had a couple of mentions, but not a lot of coverage. It has also been mentioned on SlashDot and other blogs.

We have served over 5000 downloads of the podcast, with an average of around 300 downloads per episode. Looking over the logs I would have to say that we are growing 10-15 listeners per week. This doesn’t include those of you who have just joined us after finding us through Directions Magazine. We would like to thank everyone for your support, and on that thought keep an ear out for our first avsp contest which we will be announcing in a couple of weeks (in Episode 15). Nothing too large unless we magically come up with some cash or a sponsor before then, but hopefully something fun.

Thanks again!