e-OTI: Internet Domain Names

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Internet Domain Names
By Roger Cochetti

The Issues

To what extent should the private sector-as opposed to governments-manage the infrastructure of addressing on the Internet?

As an experiment in nongovernmental, international management of the Internet, how has the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) fared? What lessons can we learn that are relevant to other global Internet system management questions?

Given the unusual nature of the medium-in that it permits largely domestic networks (closed ccTLD networks) to coexist with global networks (open gTLD networks)-can these two different approaches to the Internet continue to cooperate with each other? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each? What evolution is likely?

The Players

Governments
Intergovernmental organizations
gTLD registries and registrars
ICANN Board of Trustees and management
ccTLD registries and registrars
Registrants, including merchants, noncommercial entities, and individuals

The Forums

ICANN Board of Trustees and councils
ICANN Government Advisory Committee
International Telecommunications Union
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
European Union
U.S. government

The Prospects

Role of nongovernmental solutions: very long-term debate, with shifting experiments
Lessons from ICANN: medium-term lessons to be learned and applied
Role of ccTLDs versus that of gTLDs: short-term issue with accommodations likely

What the Private Sector Is Doing

Participating in policy debates
Influencing industry groups
Identifying and pursuing shareholders' interests

What You Can Do

Participate in policy debates
Influence governments and nongovernmental bodies

For more information, contact:

ICANN
U.S. government
European Union
Individual companies such as Network Solutions and register.com
WIPO
Nonprofits and think tanks such as the Center for Democracy and Technology

About the Author

Roger Cochetti is an executive with Network Solutions, the registry for the major open gTLDs-.com, .net, and .org-and a major registrar for all Internet names.