Wire: Obama Admin Gives Up Control of Internet

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2009 -- Newswire services this evening reported that the U.S. government and the body in charge of assigning Internet addresses signed an agreement on Wednesday that will relinquish some control over the way the network is run and allows for foreign governments to have more of a say in the future of the system.

The U.S. Commerce Department said it reached an agreement with Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), drawing praise from some U.S. lawmakers who wanted more trademark protections, and companies and international officials seeking greater independence from U.S. control, the Reuters news service reported.

The deal effectively pushes California-based ICANN towards a new status as an international body with greater representation from companies and governments around the globe, the UK based Guardian said.

ICANN had previously been operating under the auspices of the American government, which had control of the Internet thanks to the U.S. Defense Department's role in developing the underlying technologies used for connecting computers together.

The pact comes months after the European Union said ICANN should be delinked from the U.S. government and made fully independent.

See links below for details.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Sources:
US relinquishes control of the internet
UPDATE 1-US government signs pact with Internet domain body