Subject: Re: To whom is ICANN answerable?

From: "Robert G. Ferrell" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 07:16:03 -0600 (CST)

>I found this news report of some concern, not because of what ICANN is 
>supposed to have done or not done, but because it seems there is a 
>presumption by some that ICANN is answerable to US Congress.  I understood 
>that the whole purpose of setting up ICANN was to provide Internet 
>governance that was trans-national, not answerable to US Government.

If you look at the corporate charter and articles of incorporation for 
ICANN, it is a California-based nonprofit public benefit corporation. 
There is no mention that I can find of ICANN being subject to the control 
of laws or policies of any governmental entities outside the U.S. 

The prevailing view seems to be "the Commerce Department giveth, and the 
Commerce Department can taketh away."

Deep down, the U.S. still thinks it owns the Internet.  Sigh.

Cheers,

RGF

Robert G. Ferrell, CISSP
========================================
 Who goeth without humor goeth unarmed.
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From: Keith Moore <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 08 Feb 2001 10:27:57 -0500

> Commerce Department can taketh away."

the major premise is false.