[kictanet] US 'to loosen' grip on internet

[Walubengo J]

Never ever.  

The US is likely to retain its grip on the internet critical resources - particularly now that it is the sole superpower...but again, within the East African Context - does it matter whether it is China, EU (read ITU) or the US in charge?

Maybe not.  We  probably have enough on our plates at

http://www.cck.go.ke/current_consultations/

walu.

--- On Tue, 9/29/09, alice <alice at apc.org> wrote:

> From: alice <alice at apc.org>
> Subject: [kictanet] US 'to loosen' grip on internet
> To: jwalu at yahoo.com
> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009, 10:22 AM
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8275679.stm
> 
> *
> The US government is expected to relax control over how the
> internet is run when it signs an accord with net regulator
> Icann on Wednesday.*
> 
> The "affirmation of commitments" will reportedly give Icann
> autonomy to run its own affairs for the first time.
> 
> Previous agreements gave the US close oversight of Icann -
> drawing criticism from other countries.
> 
> Earlier this year, the EU called on the US to relinquish
> its control and Icann to become "universally accountable".
> 
> "The US government is the only body to have had formal
> oversight of Icann's policies and activities since its
> inception in 1998," it said.
> 
> "The Commission believes that Icann should become
> universally accountable, not just to one government but to
> the global internet community.
> 
> "This is particularly relevant given that the next billion
> of internet users will mainly come from the developing
> world."
> 
> The current agreement between the Internet Corporation for
> Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) and the US Commerce
> Department's National Telecommunications and Information
> Administration is due to expire on Thursday.
> 
> *'Formal relationship'*
> 
> Icann is a not-for-profit private sector corporation - set
> up by the US government - which oversees critical parts of
> the internet, such as the top-level domain (TLD) name
> system. Top level domains include .com and .uk.
> 
> The body recently voted to relax the strict rules on TLDs,
> meaning companies could turn brands into web addresses,
> while individuals could use their names. Icann also agreed
> to introduce domain names written in Asian, Arabic or other
> scripts.
> 
> The regulator has not yet released details of the new
> agreement with the US.
> 
> However, a report - described as "accurate" by people
> familiar with Icann - in the Economist magazine says the new
> deal does not have a fixed term.
> 
> It identifies a number of groups, including representatives
> of foreign governments, which will conduct regular reviews
> of Icann's work.
> 
> The panels would specifically focus on competition among
> generic domain names, how domain-name registrants' data are
> handled, network security and transparency, and
> accountability and the public interest - the only panel on
> which the US will reportedly retain a permanent seat.
> 
> A formal announcement about the deal is expected on
> Wednesday.
> 
> However, it is unlikely that the new agreement will sever
> the links between the US government and Icann entirely.
> 
> Rod Beckstrom, president and chief of the organisation,
> said in a letter to Congress last week that it would seek to
> maintain a "long term, formal relationship with the United
> States Government".
> 
> The body also has a separate agreement with the US - to run
> the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) - that
> expires in 2011.
> 
> The IANA oversees the net's addressing system.
> 
> 
> 
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