• CNET News.com , Tuesday, April 3, 2007 10:46 AM

The California-based Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is the closest thing the worldwide Web has to a governing body. Because of its worldwide importance, the agency feels it should enjoy the kind of immunity to national law enjoyed by such American-based international organizations as the International Olympic Committee or the Red Cross. A recent report prepared by the group said it would "explore the private international organization model," seeking to "operationalize whatever outcomes result."

This means that ICANN would be free from civil lawsuits, police searches and taxes, and its employees would have the kind of quasi-diplomatic status enabling them to import items into the country without paying customs duties, among other privileges.

Well, as the Web's domain name registrar, you'd think such an exemption would be a no-brainer, but the Bush administration doesn't seem to like the idea. If anything else, recent policy has tightened the administration's grip on the organization, which is based in Marina del Rey, California--setting the stage for what CNET calls "yet another potential power struggle over the future of Internet governance [over] things like domain names, trademark rules, and conflict resolution procedures." If ICANN doesn't get its way, the group may very well up and move to Switzerland, where it's far easier to obtain status as an international organization.

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