US Loses Grip On Internet

It is expected the US government is about to give more freedom to Internet controller ICANN

It’s taken a while, but finally the United State’s firm grip on the Internet has been diminished with the US Department of Commerce expected to sign an agreement that will give US-based governing body Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), who control the net, more independence.

This has been a long time coming with many countries, especially Europe and the former super powers China and Russia, wanting more control over the internet.

While ICANN will still have control over domain names, Americans will no longer be in full control of Internet oversight , which won’t make conservative America too happy – after all they are the world’s police and don’t trust outsiders to police the internet in a manner to their liking.
However, it will endear the Americans to a world that is thawing towards them after such strained relationships during the Bush years in the White House.

While ICANN while remain in control, and still be US-based, it will have more opportunities for Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia, as well as the rest of the Americas, to have more say on policy that affects their part of the world.