The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN, www.icann.org) is the non-profit body formed for domain name and IP address allocation and management. It is perhaps, the most public of the Internet control organisations since domain names or web addresses are one of the most tangible aspects of the Internet for users. These were previously controlled through U.S. Government contract by IANA and other entities. According to the ICANN Fact Sheet:
‘In the past, many of the essential technical coordination functions of the Internet were handled on an ad hoc basis by U.S. government contractors and grantees, and a wide network of volunteers. This informal structure represented the spirit and culture of the research community in which the Internet was developed. However, the growing international and commercial importance of the Internet has necessitated the creation of a technical management and policy development body that is more formalized in structure, more transparent, more accountable, and more fully reflective of the diversity of the world's Internet communities.’
The independence of such bodies raises several questions, such as who funds them and who do they answer to – are they regulated? Incredibly in 2002, ICANN had just 14 staff and a 19 member volunteer board of directors with Dr Vinton Cerf, who many consider as ‘father of the Internet’ as its chairman. Funding is through the fees charged for domain registration by commercial companies who register these domains. The policy statements on the sites suggest that ICANN policy is influenced by various stakeholders, but the main control is an independent review body of ten academics, lawyers from countries as diverse as New Zealand, Argentina, Peru, Denmark, Japan and, of course, the US.