by 18a Editorial
After a 20 year year process, the US have finally confirmed they will hand over one of the most crucial part's of the internet's components; it's Domain Naming System or DNS as it's known. With DNS you couldn't access a website without inputting the site's IP address.The US have always controlled DNS but will now allow Icann (The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), a non-profit organisation, to take the reigns from October 2016.
Although Icann have been doing the job for a while anyway, the US have finally agreed they can take control. Web users will not notice a difference but some US politicians have feared that the change over will mean foreign governments could abuse the internet.
Icann was created in 1998 to look after the task of assigning web addresses. Before that it was done by one man, Jon Postel, the 'god of the internet' as he is known by many, who looked after the internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA. Postel died not long after Icann was created. Icann were tasked with the administration of the IANA but the US's national Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) still had had control over what it could do but that will all change as of this October.
Although the US could keep control if they wanted, they have chosen to voluntarily pass it as an act of international diplomacy. Icann will need to answer to various stakeholders including countries, businesses and those offering technical advice.