Saturday, November 12, 2005

"EU takes swipe at U.S. Internet oversight"

Read the full Reuters/Yahoo! News article.

"The European Commission on Friday took a swipe at U.S. oversight of the Internet but offered no concrete alternatives, in advance of an international summit on how the Internet should be run......

"The U.S. Commerce Department has ultimate control of the root zone file, and Washington made clear recently it intends to maintain that role.

"The U.S. Commerce Department was expected to surrender its control of ICANN, but said in July it would 'maintain its historic role in authorizing changes or modifications to the authoritative root zone file.'

"Europe cried 'foul,' arguing Washington changed the rules of the game and plans to keep permanent control of the system.

"'There was an agreement that the Department of Commerce control would be phased out but this summer the United States announced they would maintain this oversight function,' a Commission official said.

"A second European official added: 'We just say this needs to be addressed in a more co-operative way ... under public policy principles.'

"Both officials asked not to be identified."

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