The United States will give up control of the Internet in September of next year, when its contract between the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) expires.
The U.S. will no longer be in the business of top-level domain names and IP numbering.
The change has prompted outcry from some like Newt Gingrich, former chairman of the House of Representatives, who tweeted Friday:
Every American should worry about Obama giving up control of the internet to an undefined group. This is very, very dangerous.
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) March 14, 2014
Despite having publicly stated since 1998 that some sort of transition of ICANN from U.S. control to the global community would take place, they had made few efforts. The announcement came after increased scrutiny and calls for change from the international community after NSA surveillance and spying revelations from Edward Snowden.
Guest:
- Jim Dempsey, vice president of public policy at the Center for Democracy and Technology
*This is the first segment in the March 17 edition of The Source, which airs at 3 p.m. on KSTX 89.1 FM -- audio from this show will be posted by 5:30 p.m.
