Liberalising Internet Governance: ICANN and the role of governments

“ICANN’s mission is stewardship and operational stability, not the defence of its existence or the preservation of the status quo.” Stuart Lynn, ICANN President, Feb 2002 There has been much debate this month among internet circles about the future of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Much of this was discussed at …

Obama administration is backpedaling on ICANN transition?

The U.S. Government’s decision to end oversight of the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) represents an opportunity for U.S. leadership creating global “e-government” systems to solve international law enforcement and terrorism problems, develop global education and environmental initiatives, and in turn, start using the Internet as a platform for advancing a new …

NETmundial: Brazil announces itself as Trojan horse vs multistakeholder process while invoking it

U.S. Aims to Defuse Tension Over Control of Internet Some Nations Push for New Supervisory Body The U.S. has agreed to give up supervision of the Internet policy-making body that controls domain names, hoping to satisfy countries that want more international control over the Internet. This week, Washington will find out if its actions have …

Frédéric Riehl on NETmundial: ‘We’re not going to pull a rabbit out of a hat’

Brazil is playing host this week to the “World Cup of internet governance”, as technology magazine Wired put it. States, hi-tech firms and civil society players will compete over how the net is managed. A Swiss negotiator gives his insights. Frédéric Riehl, deputy director of the Federal Communication Office, is one of three Swiss negotiators …

ICANN delays .wine and .vin top level domains

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) decided on Monday to delay granting new .wine and .vin top level domains, a move welcomed by European lawmakers concerned that cybersquatting could undermine the entire wine industry. ICANN, which is responsible for generic top level domains, had planned to launch .wine and .vin in the …

US House Communications Subcommittee Approves DOTCOM Bill

On a pure party line vote following a markup with plenty of partisan debate, the House Communications Subcommittee favorably reported the DOTCOM (Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters) Act to the full committee. The vote was 16 to 10. The bill would require the GAO to complete a report on the National Telecommunications & Information …

35 U.S. Senators led by John Thune and Marco Rubio demand answers on ICANN transition

Apr 02 2014 Thune, Rubio Demand Answers from Administration on Internet Transition Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and 33 of their Senate Republican colleagues today sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of Commerce Larry Strickling, head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), seeking clarification regarding the recent …