US keeps control over the internet

The United Nations has agreed to leave the control over the internet in the hands of the US.

At the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunisia the member countries of the organisation voted to leave day-to-day management of the internet with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann). 

Icann is independent in name, but in practice has strong ties with the US government.

A group of countries, including Pakistan and China, had been putting pressure on the US to hand over control of the root domain name servers to the United Nations, but in the end backed down.

The European Union had initially planned to side against the US but ended up agreeing to maintain the status quo.

In a minor victory for opponents of the US, the meeting agreed to create an Internet Governance Forum that will meet in Athens in 2006.

The body will comprise representatives from governments, enterprises and civil organisations, but will have no power to make any decisions on which country or organisation controls the internet.

The agreement to keep the internet untouched has not solved the actual conflict. In an extreme situation, a group of nations could break ranks and create a second version of the internet.

This would mean that two people typing the same web address in different geographical locations would end up on different websites.

See also:

EU and US battle for control of the internet

World Summit in Tunis hopes to resolve stalemate over Icann  14 Nov 2005

Industry doesn't give a xxxx for porn domain

More consultation is needed before pornography domain is approved  17 Aug 2005

UN outlines web governance rules

No single country should control traffic  18 Jul 2005

Mobiles get .mobi domain

Not to be confused with the great white whale  12 Jul 2005

US reneges on DNS pledge

US will not hand over control of internet domain name servers to Icann  01 Jul 2005

Strong demand for sex on the net

XXX domain comes of age  02 Jun 2005

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