Governments, Privatization and 'Privatization': ICANN and the GAC

Michigan Telecommunications and Technology Law Review, Vol. 18, p. 189, 2011

Wayne State University Law School Research Paper No. 10-24

30 Pages Posted: 22 Feb 2011 Last revised: 1 Mar 2012

Date Written: February 21, 2011

Abstract

This paper examines the changing relationship between the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and national governments. ICANN was born out of a self-contradictory attempt to “privatize” domain name governance; its relationship with national governments has been fraught ever since. Notwithstanding that national governments, over the past five years, have been increasingly well-organized and involved in ICANN processes, ICANN’s relationship with them today is incoherent, ill-functioning, and unstable. The paper tries to explain why. It roots the problem in an institutional structure carried over from ICANN’s formation, when it was thought that (non-U.S.) world governments should play a role only at the final stages of the privatized regulatory process.

Keywords: ICANN, GAC

Suggested Citation

Weinberg, Jonathan, Governments, Privatization and 'Privatization': ICANN and the GAC (February 21, 2011). Michigan Telecommunications and Technology Law Review, Vol. 18, p. 189, 2011, Wayne State University Law School Research Paper No. 10-24, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1766082 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1766082

Jonathan Weinberg (Contact Author)

Wayne State University Law School ( email )

471 Palmer
Detroit, MI 48202
United States
313-577-3942 (Phone)
313-577-2620 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.law.wayne.edu/weinberg

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