The National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the USA (NTIA) yesterday reported the extension of validity period of contract with the Administration of Internet address IANA space for a year. It means that control transfer of functions over the domain space from the US Commerce Department (which part is NTIA as a structure) to Internet community will take place not earlier than at the end of September, 2016. The option of such extension is put in the contract and very few people doubt that NTIA will use it. For example, ICANN’s head Fadi Chehade, leaving the post at the beginning of next year, declared earlier that control transfer of functions over the domain space will take place after his resignation.
Process of mechanism developing of control transfer and formation and improvement of new supervisory structures were originally represented as too long and labor-consuming to finish it by September of this year. At the moment, the offers concerning the main aspects of control transfer of functions are published for discussion on the ICANN’s site. The first of them raises the questions of IANA management after the expiration of contract with NTIA. The second offer is dedicated to the problems of ICANN’s organizational structure improvement. It is, in particular, directed to excluding possibility of excessive concentration of power in corporations in hands of certain political or business groups. Finally, the third offer is connected with technical and organizational issues of DNS root zone modification. The term of discussion of the first of two offers expires only in mid-September, and the third one was published only a few days ago. It is obvious that it isn't necessary to speak about control transfer in September of this year.
Nevertheless, conservative politicians in the USA for won't certainly miss the opportunity to present an NTIA and IANA contract extension as their victory over President Obama. Previously, it was Obama's Administration to become an initiator of control transfer over the domain space in hands of Internet community. Republicans consider this step an enormous mistake, predicting that it will lead to a "seizure of power" by dictatorships over the Internet.
