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WSIS-II/PC-3/DOC/5-E
III.
Identifying public policy issues that are relevant to
Internet governance and assessing the adequacy of
existing governance arrangements
13.
The WGIG devoted much of its attention to the identification of public
policy issues that are potentially relevant to Internet governance, as called for in
paragraph 13 (b) of the Plan of Action. It agreed to take a broad approach and not
exclude any potentially relevant issue. Based on this fact-finding work, the WGIG
established four key public policy areas:
(a)
Issues relating to infrastructure and the management of critical Internet
resources, including administration of the domain name system and Internet
protocol addresses (IP addresses), administration of the root server system,
technical standards, peering and interconnection, telecommunications
infrastructure, including innovative and convergent technologies, as well as
multilingualization. These issues are matters of direct relevance to Internet
governance and fall within the ambit of existing organizations with responsibility
for these matters;
(b)
Issues relating to the use of the Internet, including spam, network
security and cybercrime. While these issues are directly related to Internet
governance, the nature of global cooperation required is not well defined;
(c)
Issues that are relevant to the Internet but have an impact much wider
than the Internet and for which existing organizations are responsible, such as
intellectual property rights (IPRs) or international trade. The WGIG started
examining the extent to which these matters are being handled consistent with the
Declaration of Principles;
(d)
Issues relating to the developmental aspects of Internet governance, in
particular capacity-building in developing countries.
14.
After examining in depth the issues pertaining to these four clusters, the
WGIG identified and included in the Background Report the public policy issues
that are relevant to Internet governance. The issues of highest priority, including
related issues and problems, are set out below for the attention of the WSIS.
15.
Administration of the root zone files and system
Unilateral control by the United States Government.
• For historical reasons, the existing system involves only one Government in
the authorization of changes to the root zone file.
Lack of formal relationship with root server operators.
• The root zone operators perform their functions today without a formal
relationship with any authority.
16.
Interconnection costs
Uneven distribution of cost.
• Internet service providers (ISPs) based in countries remote from Internet
backbones, particularly in the developing countries, must pay the full cost of
the international circuits.
• Absence of an appropriate and effective global Internet governance
mechanism to resolve the issue.
17.
Internet stability, security and cybercrime
• Lack of multilateral mechanisms to ensure the network stability and security
of Internet infrastructure services and applications.
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