Internet needs global stakeholder oversight

LAST month, Singapore hosted the 49th meeting of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) to discuss ways to transition the control of some functions of the Internet from the US government to a multinational and multistakeholder global community. The meeting came after the March 14 declaration by the US Department of Commerce that NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration) will transfer responsibility for key Internet domain name functions to ICANN.

This move has resulted in a storm of protests in the US. In just four days, more than 113,000 people signed a petition by the American Centre for Law and Justice opposing the plan "to give away the Internet". There are also at least two legislative proposals against the move doing the rounds in Washington. The big fear being expressed is that if the US were to let go, control of the Internet would fall into the hands of authoritarian governments who would not favour a free Internet.

Such fears are overblown. As a recent letter from a coalition of technology advocacy groups to top Republicans and Democrats on the House Commerce Committee, notes: "This move (passing control from NTIA to ICANN) could help thwart government overreach in Internet governance, which would have devastating implications for human rights worldwide."