US ready to cede the internet naming system read more at here http://spinonews.com/index.php/component/k2/item/630

US has confirmed finally to cede power of internet naming system, it almost 20-year process to hand over a crucial part of the internet's governance.

Domain naming system (DNS) is one of the internet’s most important component. It pairs the easy to remember web addresses with their relevant servers.

More by circumstance than intention, US has always had ultimate say over how the DNS is controlled.

It will give up its power fully to ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), a non-profit organization. US finally satisfied that ICANN was ready to make the change.

The proposal has been fiercely criticized by some US politicians as opening the door, significantly increase the power of foreign governments over the Internet, warned a letter signed by several Republican senators, including former Presidential hopeful, Ted Cruz.

Jon Postel, a key figure in the development of the Internet from its inception. Mr. Postel, was in charge of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). Administration of the IANA was contracted to the newly formed ICANN.

The new ICANN will become an organization that answers to multiple stakeholders who want a say over the internet. Those stakeholders include countries, businesses and groups offering technical expertise.

Technically, the US is doing this voluntarily if it wanted to keep power of DNS. But the country has long acknowledged that relinquishing its control was a vital act of international diplomacy.

Countries China, and Russia had put pressure on the UN to call for the DNS to be controlled by the United Nations International Telecommunication Union.

Instead, US has used its remaining power over DNS to shift control to ICANN, not the UN. In response to worries about abuse of the internet by foreign governments, ICANN said it had consulted corporate governance experts who said it’s the prospect of government interference was extremely remote.

As for now, how it will change and what happens on the internet, these effects will most likely be minimal for the average user.