US Government Control of ICANN?

[sascha <bleed@de-bug.de>]

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-934848.html


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Senator calls for U.S. control of ICANN
Reuters
June 11, 2002, 5:10 AM PT


WASHINGTON--A U.S. senator said he would try to rein in the group 
that oversees the Internet's traffic system, calling for a more 
direct U.S. government role in the ostensibly international and 
independent body.

Sen. Conrad Burns, a Montana Republican, on Monday said he likely 
would introduce a bill to require the Internet Corporation for 
Assigned Names and Numbers, also known by its acronym ICANN, to give 
the U.S. government more influence in managing the domain-name 
system. The system lets Internet users navigate the Web with 
easy-to-remember names like "www.example.com."

If ICANN failed to cooperate, Burns said, it could be stripped of its 
authority when its contract comes up for renewal this fall.


In a statement released two days before a Senate subcommittee is 
scheduled to hold hearings on the global body, Burns said the change 
was necessary because ICANN has exceeded its authority, does not 
operate in an open fashion, and is dangerously unaccountable to 
Internet users, businesses and other key interest groups.

"The U.S. needs to ensure ICANN operates with the same sort of 
internal processes as in any other federal agency," he said.