Who “Manages” the Internet?
Michael R. Nelson
Vice President for Public Policy
Internet Society
mnelson@isoc.org
“Mail governance” (1950): Who
made choices about postal service?
Universal Postal Union
Hundreds of
governments
and the post
offices they
ran
(customers)
“Phone governance” (1970): Who
made choices about phone service?
International Telecommunication Union
Hundreds of
governments
Hundreds of governmentrun telephone companies
(“subscribers”)
Who makes choices about the Net?
Dozens of intergovernmental organizations,
standards bodies, and international NGOs
Key organizations shaping the Net
Internet
Standards
IETF
W3C
IEEE
ITU-T
Allocation of
Internet resources
ICANN
RIRs
registries
WTO
National governments
UN agencies
EU
Government
Policy and Regulation
OECD
A clash of cultures?
• Silicon Valley
• Geneva
A clash of cultures?
• Silicon Valley
• Sandals and T shirts
• Geneva
• Wingtips and suits
A clash of cultures?
• Silicon Valley
• Sandals and T shirts
• .com
• Geneva
• Wingtips and suits
• .int
A clash of cultures?
•
•
•
•
Silicon Valley
Sandals and T shirts
.com
Technology
•
•
•
•
Geneva
Wingtips and suits
.int
Law
A clash of cultures?
•
•
•
•
•
Silicon Valley
Sandals and T shirts
.com
Technology
Choice
•
•
•
•
•
Geneva
Wingtips and suits
.int
Law
One-stop
A clash of cultures?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Silicon Valley
Sandals and T shirts
.com
Technology
Choice
Working code
•
•
•
•
•
•
Geneva
Wingtips and suits
.int
Law
One-stop
Consensus
A clash of cultures?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Silicon Valley
Sandals and T shirts
.com
Technology
Choice
Working code
“Internet time”
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Geneva
Wingtips and suits
.int
Law
One-stop
Consensus
Deliberate speed
A clash of cultures?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Silicon Valley
Sandals and T shirts
.com
Technology
Choice
Working code
“Internet time”
“Ready, fire, aim”
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Geneva
Wingtips and suits
.int
Law
One-stop
Consensus
Deliberate speed
“Ready, aim, aim, . . .”
A clash of cultures?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Silicon Valley
Sandals and T shirts
.com
Technology
Choice
Working code
“Internet time”
“Ready, fire, aim”
Innovation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Geneva
Wingtips and suits
.int
Law
One-stop
Consensus
Deliberate speed
“Ready, aim, aim, . . .”
Stability
Locus of Decision-making
International
Spectrum policy
Internet standards
Regional
DNS
IP addresses
National
Spam
Company/Local
Trade policy
Cyber-crime
Development aid
Online taxes
Censorship
Telecom regulation
E-government
Cyber-security
On-line privacy
Individual
No government
All government
Degree of government involvement
Locus of Decision-making
(Many different decisions in many different places)
International
Regional
National
Spam
Company/Local
Individual
No government
All government
Degree of government involvement
Locus of Decision-making
Where “Internet governance” is needed
International
Spectrum policy
Internet standards
Regional
National
Company/Local
DNS
IP addresses
Spam
Trade policy
Cyber-crime
Development aid
Online taxes
Censorship
Telecom regulation
E-government
Cyber-security
On-line privacy
Individual
No government
All government
Degree of government involvement
Why “stability” should not be #1
• Changing value of domain names
• New ways of finding things online
– Google
– Handle system (Kahn)
– Web Fountain
• New technologies coming
– Web services
– Semantic Web
Layers of the Information Society
Education and training
Software, e-business, and content
Computer hardware
Internet
Telecommunications networks
Rule of Law (contracts, anti-corruption, etc.)
Where global coordination is needed
• Standards for global Internet
• Allocation of Internet resources (IP addresses,
domain names) that must work anywhere
• Coordination of law enforcement activities
(e.g. to fight hackers)
• Mutual recognition of digital identities
• Guidelines for cyber-security
• Assistance to less developed countries
(funding, training, and information)
• Fair procurement and trade rules
• Intellectual property protection
Key decisions shaping the Net
Antitrust policy
Trademark & copyright law
E-government services
Spectrum policy
Government censorship
Telecom regulation
Privacy regulations
Research funding
E-commerce laws
Computer crime
Wiretapping rules
WTO
National governments
UN agencies
EU
Government
Policy and Regulation
(mostly national)
OECD
Key decisions shaping the Net
Internet
Standards
(global)
Standards can affect:
Anonymity
Privacy protection
Ability to wiretap
Ability to filter content
How spectrum is used
IETF
W3C
IEEE
ITU-T
Key decisions shaping the Net
Internet
Standards
Standards can affect:
Anonymity
Privacy protection
Ability to wiretap
Ability to filter content
How spectrum is used
Governments can and do
influence some key standards
(as a user, through legislation,
regulation, procurement)
IETF
W3C
IEEE
ITU-T
Key decisions shaping the Net
Allocation of
Internet resources
(global/regional) ICANN
RIRs
registries
Allocates gTLDs
Allocates IP addresses
Determines traceability of
domain name holders (WHOIS)
Resolves trademark disputes
Key decisions shaping the Net
Governments influence through:
trademark law, antitrust law, ownership
of ccTLD registries, etc.
Allocation of
Internet resources
ICANN
RIRs
registries
Allocates gTLDs
Allocates IP addresses
Determines traceability of
domain name holders (WHOIS)
Resolves trademark disputes
GAC
WIPO