Communications of the ACM
Icann Be Independent
Credit: ICANN
ICANN has reached a new agreement with the U.S. government that will allow the organization to operate more independently, just before the expiration of the joint project agreement with the Department of Commerce.
The previous agreement maintained close U.S. governmental oversight of ICANN. The latest document, on the other hand, called an "affirmation of commitments," gives ICANN the autonomy to manage its own affairs and has no fixed term.
The agreement sets up oversight panels that include representatives of foreign governments to conduct regular reviews of ICANN's work regarding generic domain name competition, handling of registrant data, network security and transparency, and accountability and public interest. The last panel is the only one on which the United States will retain a permanent seat.
From The Economist
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