Mohamed H. Zakaria, published in Arab News, Jeddah on 30 November 2005

Internet Control

This has reference to the reports regarding the control of the Internet. The US administration has asserted on several occasions that it would maintain its control of the Internet and will continue to regulate it. The US Department of Commerce controls the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the agency that regulates Internet addresses or websites. This enables Washington to control cyberspace, which is supposed to be an open world without borders and barriers. The other big players such as the European Union, China and India would like to change this arrangement that amounts to US hegemony in cyberspace. Even the International Telecommunication Union, a UN agency based in Geneva, has pointed out that the US has too much control over the Net which is used by all countries today.

The suggestions and efforts for an independent body to regulate and control the Web/Internet from ICANN is the right one. But, for the moment, it is out of the question.

The US will not surrender its total dominance of the Net that rules the whole world today.