Control of the Internet

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the history of the Domain Name System and ICANN before analyzing the arguments both for and against ICANN control. The paper goes on to consider the strength of the United Nations as an alternative. It is concluded that there is little evidence that the United Nations has the desire or capacity to take over control of the Internet. Therefore on the final analysis of the evidence, it is proposed that the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) be allowed to continue managing the Internet's infrastructure. However, it is noted that for ICANN to be successful in the future it must undergo a series of reforms, including a strong separation from the United States government, in order to make it a more accountable and internationally representative corporation.

Outline
Introduction
The Debate
History of ICANN
Concerns with Who Controls the Domain Name System (DNS)
The Case for the Continuation of ICANN Control
Should the United Nations Take Control?
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Whilst the Internet was created by the United States and has its historical management strongly linked to the United States, since the opening of the network to commercial interests in 1995 the internet had existed in an International system and as a global resource, and thus must be seen in this context. In order to better understand the current situation and debate surrounding the management of the internet this essay will analyse the information and literature being produced from a range of academics, government and non-government organisations, and will then assess whether ICANN should maintain control or whether the United Nations should, in its capacity as a multi-governmental institution, take over the responsibilities of managing the internet currently entrusted to ICANN."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Goldsmith, Jack & Tim Wu "Who controls the Internet? : illusions of a borderless world" Oxford University Press, New York, 2006
• McClennen, Stephen "ICANN reforms put future Internet governance in question" Horizon House Publications, London, 2003
• Mueller, Milton "Ruling the root: Internet governance and the taming of cyberspace" MIT Press, Cambridge, 2002.
• Froomkin, Michael "Wrong turn in Cyberspace: Using ICANN to route around the APA and the Constitution", Submission to the Duke Law Journal. Available at: https://www.law.duke.edu/journals/dlj/articles/dlj50p17.htm#F14
• Weinberg, Jonathan "ICANN and the Problem of Legitimacy" in Duke Law Journal, Vol. 50, No. 1, Thirtieth Annual Administrative Law Issue. (Oct., 2000), p. 191. Available at: URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0012-7086%28200010%293%3A50%3A1%3C187%3AIATPOL%3E2.0.CO%3B2-6

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