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Vipin V. Nair

Tunis , Nov. 16

THE US-based Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will continue to oversee the Internet. As anticipated, negotiators on the key issue of Internet governance at the United Nation's World Summit on Information Societies (WSIS) 2005 decided not to alter the way the Internet is now being run.

Around late night on Tuesday, just hours before the WSIS 2005 began, the Preparatory Committee -3 (PrepCom-3) of the Summit reached the `crucial agreement on Internet governance,' as all delegates approved a final text on the matter.

"We recognise that the existing arrangements for Internet governance have worked effectively to make the Internet the highly robust, dynamic and geographically diverse medium that it is today, with the private sector taking the lead in day-to-day operations... " the Sub committee on Internet governance said.

It said Internet governance included more than Internet naming and addressing, encompassing issues such as Internet resources, security and safety and developmental aspects. Also, social, economical and technical issues such as affordability and reliability are included in this phrase.

The PrepCom-3, however, decided to create a new Internet Governance Forum (IGF) at the invitation of the UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan.

The mandate of IGF is to discuss public policy issues related to key elements of Internet governance in order to foster the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of the Net.

Many developing nations and the European Union had wanted the UN-body like International Telecom Union to have a say in running the Internet. However, the US had declined to give away the control it has over running the Internet through ICANN.

Those who oppose this feel that the present system, in which private and non-governmental interests such as ICANN manage the Internet in an ad-hoc way, is not transparent enough and accountable.

The latest decision arrived at the WSIS 2005 means that the US has once again retained its sway over the Internet.

The PrepCom-3 negotiations also concluded that all governments have an equal role and responsibility in the matters concerning the Internet.

The $100 laptop to be launched: At a late-evening function here, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will unveil its $ 100 laptop computer prototype, which is being developed under the One Laptop Per Child programme.

The UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, and the MIT Media Lab's Chairman and Founder, Mr Nicholas Negroponte, will launch the laptop.

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