Date of this Version

March 1998

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Details

Quirk, Patrick and Forder, Jay. “So who controls the internet?", CCH Law and Technology, Issue 4, Mar 1998, pp. 2-3.

Reproduced with the kind permission of CCH Australia Limited.
For more information see www.cch.com.au
©CCH 1998. All rights reserved.

Abstract

[Extract] Do you believe the traditional view that no single entity controls the Internet? There is wide consultation and discussion of protocols/standards before a community decision is made to adopt them, right? Well, think again! The US Government recently demonstrated who has the real power.

The foundation of the Internet is the "A root server". It holds the original list recording the allocation of top level domain names (Internet addresses}. This database is mirrored on another 12 root servers throughout the world. It is updated daily and is responsible for sending all Internet communications in the right direction. The US Government has a direct role in operating half of the world’s root servers.