Government works with US over internet address management

Douglas Alexander, Minister for e-commerce and competitiveness, has issued a UK-wide consultation on the management of internet addresses in partnership with Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the US-based organisation that co-ordinates the Internet's Domain Name System.

The consultation will seek the views of the UK internet community, businesses, internet companies and domain name users, on how ICANN should be reformed and how Governments can best support ICANN as well as on the organisation's missions, funding and structure.

Mr Alexander said: "The Domain Name system is a key part of the internet's infrastructure. ICANN performs a very important role, co-ordinating key functions of the domain name system and has achieved a number of successes since it was created in 1998. But like any innovative and new organisation, it is right that it undertakes a reform programme. UK, along with other Governments and key stakeholders, is keen to help ICANN in this process.

"I hope through this consultation to raise awareness of ICANN in the UK and to solicit the views of the wide UK internet community on how ICANN can best be strengthened."

Stuart Lynn, President of the ICANN, issued a paper in February stating the organisation was not working properly and called for a structural reform.

Mr Lynn has since called for his organisation to become: 'an effective and global public private partnership, rooted in the private sector but with the support of Governments.'

While the UK Government continues to consider how best ICANN can be reformed, it has stated its general policy will be to take 'a co-regulatory approach to internet issues' and support Mr Lynn's approach.