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US To Have Less Control Of Internet Naming

Posted on: Tuesday, 29 September 2009, 06:10 CDT

The federal government is expected to loosen its control of the Internet as part of an agreement with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a private non-profit corporation that coordinates and develops policy for the Internet’s naming system.

Under the "affirmation of commitments", ICANN would have autonomy to run its own affairs for the first time.   Under previous agreements, the U.S. held close oversight over ICANN -- an arrangement that drew criticism from other nations.

Earlier this year, the European Union called on the U.S. to surrender its control, and allow ICANN to be "universally accountable".

"The US government is the only body to have had formal oversight of ICANN's policies and activities since its inception in 1998," the EU said.

"The Commission believes that ICANN should become universally accountable, not just to one government but to the global internet community.

"This is particularly relevant given that the next billion of internet users will mainly come from the developing world."

The existing agreement between ICANN and the U.S. Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration expires on Thursday.

ICANN was created by the U.S. government, which now has oversight over crucial parts of the Internet, such as the top-level domain (TLD) naming system.

The regulator recently voted to ease rules on TLDs.  The move would allow companies to turn brands into web addresses and individuals to use their names in addresses. The body also agreed to initiate domain names written in Asian, Arabic or other scripts.

Details of the agreement between ICANN and the U.S. have not been disclosed, but the Economist magazine reported that the deal does not have a fixed term.  

The report, called “accurate” by those familiar with ICAAN, identifies a variety of groups, including representatives of foreign nations, which would conduct regular reviews of ICANN’s work.

Specifically, panels would focus on the handling of domain-name registrants' data, competition among generic domain names, network security, transparency, accountability and the public interest - the only panel on which the U.S. will reportedly hold a permanent seat.

While an official announcement about the deal is expected on Wednesday, a formal severing of the ties between ICAAN and the U.S. government is seen as unlikely. 

In a letter to Congress last week, ICANN president Rod Beckstrom said the company would seek to retain its "long term, formal relationship with the United States Government".

ICANN also has a separate agreement with the U.S. to run the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which oversees the Internet’s addressing system.  That agreement is set to expire in 2011.

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On the Net:

• ICANN
• NTIA

Source: RedOrbit Staff & Wire Reports

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