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Why ICANN is important now: There are different ideas of what ‘internet
internet governance and WSIS governance’ should consist of. (The first task
of the Working Group was to develop a definition
‘Internet governance’ was a subject of heated
of internet governance.) Among the areas in
debate at the World Summit on the Information
which the internet needs, or might benefit from,
Society (WSIS) in Geneva in 2003. Some groups
management, are:
fear that the internet is controlled by commercial
interests instead of being a global resource that allocating addresses, and organising them into
is equally available to all; on the other hand, others groups like .com, .org, and country groups such
fear that calls for reform of internet governance as .ug, .uk
mask a desire on the part of some governments
technical and engineering issues, to ensure
to control content and limit freedom of expression
smooth functioning of the system and compatibility
on the internet. ICANN is one of the most important
of different elements
actors in the present internet governance system,
and was at the heart of much of the debate. managing spam, viruses and fraud in order to
maintain users’ confidence and meet expectations.
The 2003 Summit agreed that governance is
important but did not agree on a new governance
system, and so the UN Secretary General established
a Working Group on Internet Governance. This
Working Group is due to make recommendations
to the second stage of WSIS in Tunis in November
2005. These will include recommendations on
the future role of ICANN.
www.icann.org
official ICANN website
www.icannwatch.org
a watchdog that publishes ICANN related news and articles
Towards WSIS 2005
www.icannatlarge.com
In the debate about internet governance, there are two Individual participation in the governance of internet world-wide
main views: www.icannwatch.com
another website that publishes ICANN news and articles
On one side are those who think the present system
www.internetdemocracyproject.org
works reasonably well. They believe it maintains the a project that seeks participation, public accountability,
internet’s essential characteristic of freedom and keeps and human rights in the internet world.
the role of governments to a minimum. Many of this group www.africann.org
accept that ICANN needs reform and particularly that a forum that serves Africa’s interest on ICANN related issues
great efforts should be made to build more civil society www.whois.net
participation. The majority of the Civil Society Caucus a site with information about who owns a particular website.
before WSIS 1 (which was more representative of northern Journalists may find this useful for checking the credibility and
the likely bias of any website.
than of southern civil society) supported this view.
www.nro.net
On the other side are those who want to bring internet Number Resource Organisation is an international organisation
governance under international – probably United Nations formed by regional internet registries. NRO keeps track of
unallocated internet protocol numbers.
– control. They feel that the present system, in which
private and non-governmental interests like ICANN www.wgig.org
the UN Working Group on Internet Governance. This Working
manage the internet in a rather ad hoc way, is insufficiently Group was set up by the UN Secretary General after the
transparent and accountable. They propose a new World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva, 2003.
system modelled on or linked with the International It is due to submit its report to the Secretary General in
July 2005, with recommendations for the second phase
Telecommunication Union (ITU), which would give more of the Summit, in Tunis, November 2005. These will include
authority to national governments. In the discussions suggestions on the future of ICANN.
during WSIS 1, many southern countries took this position,
including China, South Africa, Brazil and most Arab States.
Discussion at WSIS 1 was heated. However, some © Copyright The Panos Institute 2005
analysts feel that some of the disagreements were more Panos works with the media to stimulate
apparent than real. They believe that feelings ran high debate on global development issues.
partly because some government delegates lacked Panos works from offices in 16 countries.
detailed understanding of the workings of the present All photographs available from Panos Pictures
system. For example, some southern governments Designed by John F McGill
Printed by Digital-Brookdale
and civil society organisations allege that ICANN is
biased against developing countries. This charge may For further information about Panos contact:
have arisen because developing countries are not yet External Relations Unit
taking advantage of the possibilities that already exist The Panos Institute
9 White Lion Street
for participation and influence. Similarly, some people London N1 9PD
object to the dominance of English in the internet UK
system. Some analysts suggest that such critics do Tel: +44 (0)20 7278 1111
not fully appreciate the technical difficulties and costs Fax: +44 (0)20 7278 0345
of introducing other languages and scripts. www.panos.org.uk
Press:
On the other hand, many people agree that ICANN is not media@panos.org.uk
at present a representative organisation or easily held
Communication for Development Programme:
accountable. This is admitted even by those who support C4D@panos.org.uk
a non-governmental (ICANN) rather than inter-governmental
This Media Toolkit has been published
(ITU-like) system. The sense that ICANN is not accountable by Panos’ Communication for Development
is strengthened because so many governments lack Programme, supported by the Department
capacity and institutionalised processes for participating for International Development, UK.
fully in ICANN at the moment. Panos Ltd (English original, January 2005)
Many observers also agree that the ultimate power of the Panos Media Toolkit on ICTs – No. 1
Who rules the internet? Understanding ICANN
US government over ICANN, even if it is only potential and
not actually used, is an obstacle to a fully international,
open and equitable system.
Internet governance is becoming an influential factor
in the way we access, consume, produce and exchange
our information within and among nations. Therefore
a debate about this – among publics and governments –
is essential in the run up to WSIS 2.