Domain Registration Related News
U.S. to retain control of Internet domain
names
June 2005
The Bush administration announced Thursday that
the U.S. government will not hand over control of
the Internet to any other organization, a surprise
move that could presage an international flap.
At the moment, the U.S. government maintains
control of the Internet's "root"--the master file
that lists what top-level domains are
authorized--but has indicated in the past that it
would transfer that responsibility to the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or
ICANN.
The new principles, outlined by Assistant Commerce
Secretary Michael Gallagher, say the U.S.
government will "maintain its historic role in
authorizing changes or modifications to the
authoritative root zone file." In addition, the
principles say, the U.S. government will continue
to maintain "oversight" of ICANN and prevent its
"focus" from straying from technical coordination.
Gallagher's blunt announcement to a wireless
conference in Washington, D.C.--just a few days
before ICANN's next meeting in Luxembourg--hints
that the Bush administration would like to keep
the Marina del Ray, Calif.-based nonprofit group
on a short leash. ICANN has become the target of
criticism as its budget has zoomed upward from $7
million in 2003 to around $16 million today.
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