Other Icann-watchers are targeting Esther Dyson’s column in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal for various quotes such as “ICANN is weak and powerless” (this from ICANN’s first chairman). I’m puzzled by this one: “ICANN can control not so much freedom of speech as freedom of presence of the Internet.”
I don’t know what Ms. Dyson is referring to as “freedom of presence” but it seems to me that affordable and unfettered availability of Internet access is a lot more critical to “presence” than domain names and until people can access the Internet without bolting the door, then we’re focusing on the wrong aspect of the issue.