Communications of the ACM
How to Keep the Internet Free and Open
Should the U.S. relinquish its limited oversight role over a critical component of the Internet?
Credit: Getty
In the upcoming months, the U.S. government faces a critical decision: Should it relinquish its limited oversight role over a critical component of the Internet?
The decision concerns the Internet’s Domain Name System — the system that allows users to reach sites ending in .com, .org., .uk, .bank and many other designations. For nearly two decades, the U.S. has helped oversee this crucial component of the global Internet. And for many years, Washington has been committed ultimately to fully privatizing the system, withdrawing the oversight role of the Commerce Department, and leaving it in the hands of a private California-based organization. But now, there are some who want to abandon that plan and keep the government involved.
Opponents of the current plan to eliminate the U.S. government’s oversight role have argued that federal supervision is needed to protect the freedom of the Internet and that the transition to privatization is a national security risk. But these arguments are misplaced. If Washington fails to follow through on its longstanding commitment to privatize the DNS, it will fuel efforts by authoritarian regimes to move Internet governance to the United Nations—and potentially put the Internet, as we know it, at risk.
The Internet is vital to the international economy and global security for its openness, speed, flexibility and efficiency. It enables international communication, the free flow of ideas and innovation, and global commerce. Not surprisingly, authoritarian regimes, which often want to limit the ability of their citizens to communicate, don’t like these attributes. Keeping the Internet free and open should be of utmost importance to the U.S. government.
From Politico
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