Internet Governance in Transition: Who Is the Master of This Domain?

Who owns the Internet? While this network of information seems to be the world’s property, the controversy is rapidly rising over who controls coordination and regulations of cyberspace. This work examines the historical, sociological and empirical influence of the Internet Domain Name System (DNS). This comprehensive look at cyberspace control is timely as many European countries are questioning the domain name authority of the US-based Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Detailing the reconstruction of DNS, Pare reveals the infrastructure of Internet governance and its effect on power relations and politicking. Though these questions are particularly relevant to the field of communications, all Internet users should find this book a useful tool for understanding the increasingly complex web of Internet control.