In advance of today's Senate Commerce Committee hearing to examine the plan to transition the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), Public Knowledge joins other civil society and public interest groups in reinforcing our support for the timely transition of IANA functions from the purview of the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to the global multistakeholder community, set to take place on September 30, 2016.
Since March 2014, Public Knowledge has worked with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) community to provide input into the overall process and advocate for a successful transition that protects the stability and continuity of the Domain Name System (DNS).
The following may be attributed to Carolina Rossini, Vice President of International Policy at Public Knowledge:
“At this crucial time for the Open Internet, we are sending a letter to members of Congress and the NTIA urging them to move forward with the IANA transition. Contrary to political opposition, to block or delay this process would have worldwide implications for human rights and undermine U.S. interests and values.
“We believe that supporting the participation in ICANN of a diverse international multistakeholder community that shares a common interest in openness and innovation is the most robust long term strategy for preventing any governments – or other multilateral entities they may commandeer – from steering the DNS in a direction that would be much less supportive of a free and open global Internet.
“A timely transition is essential to ensure the continued functionality of the open, interoperable, global internet and protection of fundamental human rights, such as freedom of expression and the free flow of information.”
Read the full statement here.
Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.