The United States is to end its Internet address oversight role. The US has been in charge of assigning the 32-bit IP addresses that underpin .com, .gov and .org domain names since the Internet began. The role was “subcontracted” to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (better known as
ICANN) in 1998 as an interim measure towards an international group taking over in 2015. ICANN will meet in Singapore on March 23, 2014 to discuss the initial aspects of the change.
The move takes place amidst a backdrop of concern that the United States’ National Security Agency, or NSA, regularly monitors Internet traffic as part of its surveillance efforts. Although many bodies have been keen for the US to hand over its domain name management role, others have questioned the role of the new international management group, the structure of which has yet to be established.
The US has stated that government agencies would not be put in charge of managing domains, nor would the International Telecommunication Union - a United Nations organization that oversees telephone traffic worldwide.
"We are inviting governments, the private sector, civil society and other Internet organizations from the whole world to join us in developing this transition process," explained the President and Chief Executive of ICANN, Fadi Chehadé. "All stakeholders deserve a voice in the management and governance of this global resource as equal partners."
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