October 4, 2006 – (HOSTSEARCH.COM) – Web hosting provider Go Daddy (www.godaddy.com) has voiced its public support for extended oversight of ICANN, the company announced today. “As the leader of the Internet domain name market, Go Daddy is a strong advocate for our customers – and all users of the Internet. The decision by the Commerce Department to extend its oversight of ICANN for another three years aligns with Go Daddy’s advocacy efforts. ICANN isn’t ready to be fully independent – and no other international body is yet prepared to provide the leadership necessary to protect the Internet for all users,” suggested Mr. Bob Parson’s, Go Daddy’s CEO and Founder.
“Over the next three years, Go Daddy looks forward to working with others in the industry to ensure that an appropriate, impartial international body will be identified to provide the leadership ICANN needs in setting policies and creating a strategy which impacts every user of the Internet. After Go Daddy’s efforts to inform Congressional leaders of our concerns over the future of Internet governance, we are pleased to see positive results and recognition that there are issues requiring resolution to ensure an open, transparent system for managing the Internet,” added Mr. Parsons.
Mr. Bob Parson’s statement comes after Go Daddy’s General Counsel Christine Jones testified before a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on September 20, 2006. In her testimony she spoke about a range of issues impacting ICANN’s performance and stated Go Daddy’s case that continued U.S. oversight was required.
“The future of ICANN rests with the public that it was formed to benefit,” suggested Ms. Jones. “That community’s confidence in ICANN has been shaken by the lack of openness and transparency; by the apparent unwillingness of the ICANN Board of Directors to be accountable to anyone but itself and the giant step backwards that is now being taken by the introduction of anti competitive registry agreements that threaten to undo what progress has been made. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Commerce and ICANN should be extended and modified to stress the need to correct these deficiencies and require a clear road map from ICANN as to how it will regain the confidence of the community upon which its existence relies.”
The Commerce Department agreement with ICANN has been extended for three years with a review in 18 months.
