US Government extends contract with ICANN
 

The US government has renewed its contract with Net overseeing company ICANN to manage top-level technical functions for the Internet's domain name system (DNS).

ICANN has been granted exclusive rights, for no consideration, to run the so-called IANA function until 2011, although the contract is subject to annual review and renewal.


article


ICANNS statement


as we know, there was some arguably good tendency to make the internet management more international but on the other hand as long as the US Government is against .xxx then I can't complain :winkwink: :winkwink:

well thats good i guess.


this is the part that interests me more:

"The IANA contract covers only the technical aspects of the Internet's naming systems, whereas the MoU covers the eventual transition of ICANN from a government-controlled entity to the private sector.

Internet users from outside the US, including members of the United Nation's Working Group on Internet Governance, have criticised the MoU, saying the relationship puts ICANN under control of the US government. The MoU expires on 30 September"

Forgetting the niceties of US domestic issues, chances are this will terminate sooner than later.

The deal was for a passing over to an international body which would democratically represent all nations involved on 30th Sept, but Bush renaged on that agreement and most other countries have their own plans channelled thru the United Nation's Working Group on Internet Governance.