Battleangel

Everyone seems to be out to get ICANN these days. Now its deal with VeriSign is coming into focus again, with ICANN being accused of violating anti-trust laws.

Arstechnica - The unlawful agreement gives VeriSign a permanent monopoly over the registration of all “.com” and “.net” domain names thereby excluding all competition.

Lately it seems like ICANN just can’t win, but in reality they were never in the game. Anyone doubting that need look no further than the results of the World Summit on Information Society or the .xxx TLD debacle. In both instances it was the US government, whether through the Chamber of Commerce or the Secretary of State, that made the decisions. What ICANN should be doing in Vancouver is having an honest discussion about who controls the Internet, but that could prove more dangerous than any lawsuit.

Also, The Register has gotten their hands on a letter presumably signed by Carlos M. Guiterrez and Condoleezza Rice to UK foreign minister Jack Straw. The letter dismisses a unilateral solution as “burdensome” and “bureaucratic.” Because obviously, carpet bombing is so much effective and diplomatic in psychotic America.

It is abundantly clear that ICANN is not functioning well. Nor is it the independant organization that the US and its supporters claim. On top of this it seems its business practises, especially with the .com deal, are far from sound. It seems that this is exactly the sort of problem you’d want to avoid by elevating the system beyond the petty laws of any one nation state and any one corporation. Companies like VeriSign would be crushed underfoot and we would all be better off.

Related: ICANN Waiting List Service hurts the little guy, Network Solutions TLD Scam.