[Infowarrior] - US to relinquish Internet control

[Richard Forno]

(c/o JH)

US to relinquish Internet control

By Kate Tummarello

http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/200889-us-to-relinquish-internet-control

The U.S. government on Friday announced it is taking steps to
relinquish control over the backbone of the Internet.

The Department of Commerce announced it is beginning a process to
transfer control over the technical system that operates the
Internet's domain name system, which ensures that Internet users can
get to the websites they're looking for.

Currently, the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration -- an agency with Commerce -- oversees that technical
system, named the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).

Historically, it has contracted the operation of IANA out to the
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Number (ICANN) on a
biennial basis. The current contract is set to expire in September of
2015.

ICANN -- which contains an advisory board comprised of government
representatives -- also manages the system for naming domains, ensuring
that each web address is registered to only one person.

"NTIA is asking ICANN to convene global stakeholders to develop a
proposal to transition the current role played by NTIA," NTIA
Administrator Larry Strickling said during a press call Friday.

Strickling said any proposal "must have broad community support" and
must be based on a multistakeholder approach to Internet governance.

"It must maintain the openness of the Internet," he said. "We will not
accept a proposal ...with a government led or an intergovermental
solution."

According to an NTIA official, the U.S. agency will continue
overseeing IANA until the contract expires in 2015. At that point, the
agency hopes to be able to transfer stewardship, the official said.

Some lawmakers and members of the tech industry have expressed concern
that relinquishing control of IANA will open up the Internet to
threats from other governments that seek to censor it.

While the U.S. can participate in the domain name system through
ICANN's Government Advisory Council, its oversight role of IANA was
the only direct link between the U.S. government and the critical
Internet infrastructure.

Critics of ICANN have said that increased globalization of the domain
name system could decrease the influence of the U.S. as one of the
most vocal proponents of Internet freedom.

Fadi Chehade, the CEO of ICANN, said during the call that his
organization will bring stakeholders together to discuss a transition
process for IANA during ICANN's upcoming meeting in Singapore later
this month.

"All stakeholders deserve a voice in the management and government of
this global resource as equal partners," he said.

"We thank the U.S. government for its stewardship, for its guidance,
over the years, and we thank them today for trusting the global
community to replace their stewardship."

An NTIA official denied that the agency's move was in reaction to
revelations about U.S. government surveillance programs over the last
year which have sparked international criticism of America's role in
Internet governance.

Chehade and Strickling both pointed to the original plans for IANA.

"The U.S. government and Internet stakeholders envisioned that the
U.S. role in the IANA functions would be temporary," Strickling said.

In a statement, Verizon applauded the Commerce agency's move to
relinquish control over the technical system.

"A successful transition in the stewardship of these important
functions to the global multi-stakeholder community would be a timely
and positive step in the evolution of Internet governance," Craig
Silliman, senior vice president of public policy, said.

"Given the importance of the IANA functions to the stability and
correct functioning of the Internet, it will be essential that a plan
that preserves the security, stability, and seamless nature of the
Internet be developed through a comprehensive multi-stakeholder
process prior to the transition."


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