MOSCOW, October 14 (RIA Novosti) - The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), responsible for IP addresses and the global Domain Name System, hopes to escape US government control under what it hopes would be a diverse, global group of “stakeholders”, announced chief Fadi Chehade at a press briefing during the opening of the nonprofit organization's meeting this week in Los Angeles.
The organization currently operates the Internet's naming system under a sole contract with the US. However, in March, Washington announced the possibility of not renewing it after it expires in 11 months.
The Corporation has to provide a new oversight system that “represents the spectrum of interests and can be counted on to keep the Internet addressing structure reliable,” AFP reports on Tuesday.
ICANN plans to submit a proposal to the US Department of Commerce next year. If approved, the contract won’t be renewed.
"There are many people in the community who would like to see we not renew the contract past 2015" said Chehade.
"Governments want to exert control over the sweeping transnational power of the Internet that is effecting their policies, politics, social fabric and/or their economic conditions," AFP quotes Chehade as saying.
Internet governance will remain a high-profile topic at the ICANN 51 meeting scheduled until October 16.
