Can ICANN?

Aug. 13, 2002

Who controls the Internet? The common perception is, no one. 

But among Web site operators, public interest groups, and online insiders, the answer couldn't be further from the truth — especially when it comes to Web addresses.
Since 1998, the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has had the sole responsibility of maintaining so-called top-level domain (TLD) names — Net addresses such as dot-com and dot-net.

Under an agreement from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the private non-profit ICANN was to keep up the technical specifications for the so-called Domain Name System (DNS) — the setup that allows the use of TLDs instead of complex numbers to get to particular computers on the Internet.

But critics, ranging from so-called domain registrars to former ICANN members, say that ICANN has used that mandate from the Commerce Department to abusive levels. 

More details at: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/DailyNews/ICANNconflict020813.html

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