US prepares to hand over power of the internet's naming system - CNET

The US government's 20-year role in governing a crucial part of the internet is about to come to an end.

From October 1, the US will no longer have power over the internet domain naming system, or DNS, the US Department of Commerce aounced on Tuesday.

The DNS is one of the core components of the internet, linking every web address to the sites' servers using a unique set of numbers, commonly referred to as an IP address. Control of the system will be passed from the US government to a multi-stakeholder nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles called the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN.

For the world's internet users, the hand-off will go largely uoticed -- day-to-day use of the internet will not be affected. Instead, it has been designed to ensure the DNS continues to be a strong and reliable pillar of the internet for years to come. Proponents of the move, including the Obama administration, believe privatization will help maintain international support for the system and prevent governance of the internet becoming a point of dispute in the future.

But some US politicians, including former Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz, are critical of the decision to transfer control of the DNS away from the US government. In a speech at the Republican National Convention last month, Cruz said he feared the system will now be open to interference from foreign governments after being safely guarded for years by the US.