Internet Governance Follies

[Commentary] The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) ignored US opposition to .sucks knowing the Commerce Department had given up its leverage by planning to relinquish oversight permanently. The debacle is a warning sign of what would happen under President Obama’s plan.

Developers, engineers and other Internet stakeholders were free to build the open Internet because ultimate US control ensured its smooth operation. If Icann can’t fulfill its basic function of overseeing Internet names without US oversight, there’s no way it can protect the Internet from authoritarian governments such as Russia and China trying to close down websites they don’t like. Even the Administration now admits its plan to give up oversight of the Internet can’t happen by its original September deadline. It is asking stakeholder groups how much longer they need to try to come up with a plan to hold Icann accountable and free of authoritarian control without US oversight.