Governing the Commons:

The Future of Global Internet Administration

An Overview of the Issues

Hans Klein Chairman of the Board, CPSR School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology

The basic issue: Shared resources

• Highly centralized system • Shared set of unique names and addresses • Shared root server

Shared resources require Shared administration (“governance”)

• Institutional design • Effective: to insure system stability • Legitimate: prevent abuse of power • Representation • Transparency and Accountability

History

• 1970s-1980s -- Jon Postel (IANA) • 1992 -- Internet Society (ISOC) • 1992 -- Network Solutions Inc. (NSI) • 1996-97 -- IAHC-MoU • 1997-98 -- Green & White Papers • Nov. 1998 - ICANN

Recurring Problems

• Lack of consensus • Lack of due process • Meteoric growth exacerbates problems

ICANN

• Administration of shared resources • Representation • Board of 19 • Root server • Shared registry • Accredidation of registrars

Controversies: Legitimacy

• No elected board • Closed meetings • Dismissive of critics

Controversies: Substantive Decisions

• Fast action on policies • Conditions for accredidation • Fees • Country code top level domains • Dispute resolution policy

Current Issues

• Finances • Sustainability of privatization • Lawsuit?

• Stability of technology

At-Large Elections

• Individual users • 9 board seats • Democracy in cyberspace • Legitimate?

• Role of CPSR