The world of internet is more complex than what we can imagine. Surfing the net and exchanging a few e-mails seem easy, but the complexities and realities behind how the internet functions are not known to many of us. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) was founded in the 1990s by the former US President Bill Clinton in order to systematize the internet governance. This is a technical body which ensures that the internet functions in a stable and secure manner. It is also responsible for assigning domain names such as .com, .net and .org.
The internet of today is much more diverse than when it was first invented. Today it is the largest internet in the world. It has a hierarchy of networks which includes backbone networks, mid-level networks and stub networks. These networks are used for commercial, educational, research and military purposes. Though the internet has undergone a sea of changes, the control over it is still confined to the United States. Many other countries even today do not have an answer to the question why the United States has the sole control over the internet.
In 2003 ICANN decided to limit and reduce direct public participation over how it runs the internet. Many developing countries including China, India and Iran had a difference of opinion about the power of internet resting in the US. They thought that they also have a right to govern and run the internet. China wanted an international body like the United Nations to perform the task of the ICANN. The sole power restricted itself to the United States. Some other countries wanted the United Nations itself to manage the welfare of the internet. Many countries tried to threaten the US and to partake the governance of the internet. All such efforts went in vain and the US continued to enjoy sole power over the internet. Since US invented the internet it held the authoritative position. Rest of the countries in the world were reasonable enough in questioning why a single country should govern the internet when all countries in the world use it and they could all contribute to the governance of the internet.
The countries, which petitioned the United States to lay down the control of the internet, were not unqualified to run it. A governing body like the United Nations is proficient enough to run it. But the thing is that running the internet is a lucrative business and the United States was not willing to let go the power it used to enjoy. ICANN is the only company in the world which creates addresses for websites and all those who want a permanent existence in the internet must go through them. Hence, the United States enjoys supremacy over rest of the nations regarding the governance of the internet. When a country enjoys unlimited power, naturally others will want a share of it too. They either want some monetary compensation that goes along with running the internet or they do not want the United States to be the sole country which benefits from the internet in a financial capacity.
The United States takes great pride in running the internet. Along with its dominance over other countries because of the tight hold on the internet, the United States controls, operates and influences millions of people and businesses all over the world. Therefore, China and Iran wanted to create an internet of their own and over which they will have sole control. These are some of the reasons why other countries want the United States government to surrender or share some of the rights it has over the internet. Despite the protests from many countries, the United States holds the control over the internet for the time being. It is extremely difficult to make a strong and dominating economy lay down its power.
It is obvious that any network requires some centralized control in order to function. Many governments are of the opinion that like the phone network the internet should be administered under a multilateral treaty. ICANN is the tool of American hegemony over the internet. The United States is the master of domain names of the websites. IP addresses and root servers are also under the custody of the United States. Therefore, it continues to be the supreme power of cyberspace.
No comments:
Post a Comment