back to article Hey, uh ICANN. US govt here. You know we said we'd give you the keys to the 'net? Yeaahhh...

The US government has admitted its plan to move control of the internet's naming and numbering functions to a California non-profit next month may not move forward. In a letter [PDF] from the Department of Commerce (DoC) to ICANN sent August 31, the department's CFO gives the organization 30 days' notice that it may extend its …

  1. Herby

    Who do you trust??

    ICANN or the US Government.

    I'm not sure who to pick in this race, but one thing is for sure. At least the US Government listens to the people. I'm not sure that ICANN does. Of course, the outcry from the public may fall on deaf ears, but at least there are ears...

    1. Ole Juul

      Re: Who do you trust??

      "At least the US Government listens to the people. I'm not sure that ICANN does."

      ICANN is stone deaf.

      1. Yes Me Silver badge
        Meh

        Re: Who do you trust??

        "ICANN is stone deaf"

        I think that rather depends who is talking.

        I don't trust either. But I also don't think it matters. There are plenty of checks and balances in place to make sure the Internet keeps on rolling along. If ICANN messes up a few TLDs it won't break the Internet. If ICANN gets sued out of existence, it won't break the Internet. Somebody else will pick up their clerical work, and that's all that matters.

        1. Mike Moyle

          Re: Who do you trust??

          "If ICANN gets sued out of existence, it won't break the Internet. Somebody else will pick up their clerical work, and that's all that matters."

          Actually, that's an interesting question. Suppose that, say, $RepressiveRegime were to sue ICANN over whatever they think they can make stick, demand a ludicrously large monetary settlement and win (Long-shots, perhaps, but not, I think, impossible.). Normally, if an entity can't pay a LLMS, the solution is to liquidate and/or turn over all assets to the winning party. Surely, in ICANN's case, the naming/numbering authority would have to be counted as an/their only asset and, thus, would be transferred to the victorious claimant.

          COULD a $RepressiveRegime end up, essentially, owning the internet?

          1. Alumoi Silver badge
            Facepalm

            Re: Who do you trust??

            COULD a $RepressiveRegime end up, essentially, owning the internet?

            Well, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the US owning the internet right now?

    2. sabroni Silver badge

      Re: At least the US Government listens to the people

      Of the USA. There are some other countries using the internet too.

    3. Alan Brown Silver badge

      Re: Who do you trust??

      The US govt (department of commerce) has done a pretty good job over the decades.

      ICANN has been a clusterfuck from the outset and when a IP lawyer with a documented history of duplicity and dirty dealings got to be chair it managed to get even worse.

      It's not a coincidence that the former chairman now works for a registrar and ICANN policy is setup the way it is.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The timing of this was always stupid

    When they first indicated it would be in fall 2016, barely a month before US elections, it was obvious to anyone with half a brain that it would become a political football. Of course that may have been the idea all along.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Meh

    If the choice is between the incompetent (Uncle Sam) and the corrupt (ICANN)

    Its probably safest to choose the incompetent.

    1. Yes Me Silver badge

      Re: If the choice is between the incompetent (Uncle Sam) and the corrupt (ICANN)

      Corruption is a pretty serious charge - would you care to provide the evidence? (Disliking some of their decisions is not evidence.)

      Also, it isn't a choice. ICANN already does everything. The US Government actually has had no real role in the business since, well, always. That will continue, whatever happens.

      1. lglethal Silver badge
        Go

        Re: If the choice is between the incompetent (Uncle Sam) and the corrupt (ICANN)

        Here you go - hows this?

        http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/08/03/extraordinary_verdict_against_icann/

        1. sabroni Silver badge

          Re: If the choice is between the incompetent (Uncle Sam) and the corrupt (ICANN)

          >> slammed by an independent review as at best incompetent and at worst deliberately mendacious. <<

          Doesn't sound like clear evidence of corruption, bit too vague for that.

  4. Youngone Silver badge

    I'm sure about one thing

    I don't know that I understand all the details of this, but I do know that if Shifty Ted Cruz and the awful Heritage Foundation are against it, then I'm probably for it.

    1. Youngone Silver badge

      Re: I'm sure about one thing

      Hey, look everyone, Shifty Ted downvoted me. ;-)

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