FC: ITU wants to wiggle into Internet domain name space

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

[If y'all thought ICANN was bad... --Declan]

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http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/021020/72/33wtu.html

"Global Organization Seeks Voice in Internet Addressing System"
Wall Street Journal (10/21/02) P. B4; Delaney, Kevin J.

Last week at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) organizational 
conference, ITU member representatives voted for a resolution calling on 
the ITU to take an active role in all "discussions and initiatives" 
involving domain names and the domain-name system (DNS). Some view the ITU 
vote as a move to step into the uncertainly surrounding domain names and 
the DNS, both of which are overseen by ICANN, a group that has been 
criticized even by ICANN allies. The ITU is affiliated with the United 
Nations, is a global organization, is dominated by international telecom 
companies, and must seek member government approval for ITU policies; some 
domain name industry observers believe the massive ITU structure would 
further marginalize domain name industry and public advocate voices. The 
U.S. government as well as the tech community have opposed ITU involvement 
as being too cumbersome. In contrast, ICANN ostensibly is free from 
government involvement in day-to- day decision-making. The domain name 
industry is estimated to be a $2.5 billion industry, and control of a 
domain name, such as amazon.com, is vital to the many businesses that own 
them. Because governments are involved in the ITU, analysts such as 
Syracuse University professor Milton Mueller believe that governments could 
use ITU power over DNS issues as "a convenient point of leverage for 
enforcement regulation." The disarray at ICANN is leading some to conclude 
that private- sector management of the DNS cannot work, while Yale Law 
School instructor David Johnson notes that ITU's foundation in governments 
would provide "enforceable global regulations." Some experts say ICANN 
should be structured to focus on technical issues, while the ITU could be 
responsible for public policy; however, others say such issues often overlap.




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