High Noon for the IANA Transition

As the Internet becomes more visible and important, governments and international organizations have become increasingly concerned about how, and by whom, it is administered. The US government, which currently exercises some control over these functions through its contract with ICANN to administer the IANA function, has stated its intent to release its control provided that the ICANN’s multistakeholder community is mature enough for effective private sector-led self-government, but this transition has seen a number of delays. The United Nations, both directly and through the ITU, has expressed views that the Internet should be administered through international organizations. Countries have expressed a variety of opinions, generally reflecting their attitudes toward the management of information generally. Internet governance has become highly politicized, with the control of the critical identifiers, i.e. IP addresses and domain names, at the focus of attention and dispute. Stakeholders are waiting to see if the IANA transition succeeds, and some are ready to seize the moment to push significantly different administrative regimes once it does. This drama is being played out as we meet.