On a Friday in March the Obama Administration announced that it would relinquish its last vestige of control over the technical functions of the Internet. The Department of Commerce’s NTIA said that it will not renew its contract with ICANN to run key domain-name functions. The NTIA had been methodically shedding its control over domain functions for years. Yet, this final action of absolvement comes at a particularly volatile time for Internet governance.

Later this April the Brazilian government, incensed over the NSA surveillance revelations, plans to convene stakeholders in designed to explore “Future of Internet Governance” and to design a new model for Internet governance. While Internet Caucus Co-Chairs Senator John Thune and Representative Anna G. Eshoo each expressed support for an open, multistakeholder model for running the Internet many policy leaders in Congress are watching closely. There is concern that now that the U.S. has given up Internet control other governments will seek to usurp control over the Internet.

We have assembled a a panel of experts who will discuss what this Brazilian Internet governance reboot means, what can be gained, and what might be lost .

Date: Friday, April 11, 2014

Time: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (boxed lunch will be served starting at 11:30 pm)

Location: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2226

Twitter: @NetCaucusAC, #NetGovIC

Speakers:

• Fiona Alexander, Associate Administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) [Bio]
• Steve DelBianco, NetChoice [Bio]
• Tom Giovanetti, Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI) [Bio]
• Jamie Hedlund, VP Reviews, ICANN [Bio​]
• David Johnson, Member, High Level Committee, Global Multistakeholder Meeting On the Future of Internet Governance. [Bio​]
• John Kneuer, Principal, President and Founder, JKC Consulting LLC, and Senior Partner, Fairfax Media Partners, Moderator [Bio]

Note: More speakers will be announced on a rolling basis.

Past Briefings on This Subject:

Will the Brazilian Reboot Turn the Internet into a BRIC? January 28, 2014 [Audio]

Influencing ICANN: What Role Will World Governments Have Over Internet Domain Functions? March 21, 2011 [Audio]

The Future of the U.S. Government’s Role in ICANN, Internet Addressing and Internet Governance, October 1, 2009 [Audio]

Global Internet Governance: Should there be an enhanced role for the U.N.?, September 12, 2005 [Audio]

This widely attended educational briefing is hosted by the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee (ICAC), part of a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization. Congressional staff and members of the press welcome. The ICAC is a private sector organization comprised of public interest groups, trade associations, non-profits, and corporations. The ICAC takes no positions on legislation or regulation. Rather, it’s a neutral platform where thought leaders debate important technology issues that shape legislative and administration policy in an open forum. We vigilantly adhere to our mission to curate balanced and dynamic debates among Internet stakeholders. Our volunteer board members ensure that we dutifully execute that mission. More information on the ICAC is available at http://netcaucus.org.