That the Internet originated in the US is indisputable. But as to who controls it now, opposite opinions have held equally strong. The people at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, have answered ?no one?. It?s been over a decade since the US technically surrendered over the Internet to this independent body. Internet users have grown 20 times during this period, with domain names having grown from around 20 million to 200 million. ICANN has held that its representational structure?made up of numerous supporting organisations and advisory committees?allowed everyone affected by the Internet to be a part of its decision-making. An opposite camp?again, made up of numerous parties ranging from individuals to businesses and governments?has seen this answer disingenuous. Not only is ICANN incorporated in the US, it has ultimately been controlled by the US Department of Commerce. Now, ICANN controls the domain name system, or the root server system that translates text-based email and web addresses into numerical Internet protocol?think everything from .com and .net to .edu and .mil. When the master root system is based in the US and it?s not just the US Department of Commerce but also its Department of Defence and the US Army Research Lab that have oversight over the servers, it?s no surprise that France, China, Libya, Brazil, South Africa and motley others have been crying foul. Their cry hasn?t really captured the public imagination simply because ICANN, to its great credit, has managed the many challenges posed by the Internet?s unforeseen expansion quite efficiently. Threats of going rogue?setting up a separate Internet?don?t have much cache when the dominant system?s USP is universality.
This week, ICANN has taken its critics by surprise with a new Affirmation of Commitments, whereby the US will renounce primary control to become a member of ICANN?s Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC). ICANN chief executive Rod Beckstrom said the US will have a seat at the GAC table?representing 100 countries?but there will be no separate reporting to its government: ?All the reporting is to the world; that?s the real change.? Not just governments but also companies from around the world are being promised greater representation. Bill Clinton had directed the formation of ICANN and President Obama appears to be overseeing a further democratisation of the Internet. Meanwhile, the Internet has so expanded across the world that only 15% of its users now reside in North America. So, are the Democrats playing this right? Let?s put it this way: hope China, Libya or other countries impatient with the chaos of democratic expression don?t play a major role in setting policy.
