cyberseas vs the real seas

Bruce Schneier picks up an article about how to ensure ‘freedom of the cyber seas‘ through traditional modes of political action:

We believe that now is the time for the United States to pursue a “Freedom of the Cyber Seas” policy, based on a successful model of the past–President Jefferson’s approach to “Freedom of the Seas”…in many ways, current U.S. policy on the security of electronic commerce is similar to Adams’ appeasement approach to the Barbary pirates. The U.S. government’s inability to dictate a consistent cyber commerce protection policy is creating a financial burden on the U.S. private sector to maintain a status quo, when those resources could be used to mount a more-effective Internet-focused defense.

What to do?

The nation can consider using political pressure, and by extension proactive actions, to protect the “cyber sea lanes” from well-organized and significant threats….The international community could move toward a system that mimics how international shipping is regulated.

The metaphor is interesting: is it possible to forestall the weaponization of cyberspace by China, the US, and other countries? With ICANN now a political football, creating a free internet under global jurisdiction could seriously conflict with the strategic agendas of certain key players. And even the freedom of the seas can no longer be taken for granted.