Author
Dave Berliner
The International Community seeks Dialogue with ICANN
The second phase of the World Summit on Information Society will take place in Tunis from November 16-18 2005. Many countries are seeking a dialogue with ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. ICANN is a private company created by the U.S. Department of Commerce to control all the names and numbers of websites throughout the world.
The U.S. State department has issued a release against any international authority on internet governance.
http://usinfo.state.gov/eur/Archive/2005/Oct/25-499.html
The Wall Street Journal has also listed and posted articles warning about the dangers of allowing any kind of international oversight for internet communication.
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB113133007519089738-lMyQjAxMDE1MzA…
These arguments, however, are inadequate at forming a dialogue with areas of the developing world that want access to the internet. This is one reason that the International Telecommunication Union, working with the United Nations, has organized the WSIS.
http://www.itu.int/wsis/tunis/index.html
The Internet Governance Project is currently seeking funding to deploy network infrastructure in all areas of the world and some are calling it the Roadmap to the internet.
http://www.internetgovernance.org/
Due to the globalizing strength of the internet, the Working Group on Internet Governance was created. It's intention is to develop a working definition of Internet Governance, identify the issues and develop an understanding of the responsibilities between governments.
Anyone with a broadband connection to the internet who is interested in viewing the World Summit on the Information Society can receive a webcast here:
E-mail