OT: We Need Internet Trustworthy Authority (how to, click, online, program)

[Justme2010]

Sorry, the subject is a bit OT.

Here's the scoop. We know that the trustworthiness of
a commercial web site or an individual's claim on the
net save the major corporations and big institutions
is an open question. And do we want to realize the
Internet's potential for business and individuals
alike, I would think yes. Then, I believe the
establishment of some sort of Internet Trustworthy
Authority organization would be very very helpful.
And this should be a non-profit and yet
customer-oriented and efficient org ...

Better idea? Or am I missing something? Your thoughts?

[tee-tee]

Originally Posted by Justme2010

Better idea? Or am I missing something? Your thoughts?

Yeah, you're missing a lot, actually.

Many (most?) people who use online services are not aware of trust & security issues. Many folks know not to click suspicious links, open programs, etc.

Hardly anyone among the general population understands certificates - not just what they are, but how to verify, inspect, and accept. They don't even know to inspect simple url's, e.g. ebay.com vs ebay.givemeyourcardnumber.com.

How many general internet users have their own GPG key?

To make what could be a long story short, all of the infrastructure exists. Hardly anyone uses it. Even fewer understand it.

This may be harsh, but I suggest leaving the internet as-is. As people get duped, scammed, and swindled, they'll get educated. Because the internet knows no borders, we do not need gub'mint stepping in to protect us, with each of us having to be cognizant of different laws applying depending on where a domain is hosted. And a single trust authority will never be satisfactory to all users and all domains.

Virtual Darwinism? <-- I may have just coined a new phrase.