Maarg Manthan · Topic 14.23

Global Internet Governance

Science & Technology › IT, Telecommunications and Computers · Topic 14.23

Internet governance is the set of rules, processes and institutions through which the internet's technical standards, names, addresses and policies are shaped. There is no single world authority. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, ICANN, set up in 1998, manages the domain name system and address allocation, and from October 2016 it operates without the oversight of the United States Government after the transition of the IANA functions. Technical standards are made by bodies such as the Internet Engineering Task Force and the World Wide Web Consortium. The Internet Governance Forum, started after the World Summit on the Information Society, is a discussion platform. The debate is between a multistakeholder model and the multilateral model favoured by states such as India, China and Russia.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Science & Technology · IT, Telecommunications and Computers

At a Glance

Names and numbers ICANN, set up 1998
Oversight ended October 2016
Discussion forum IGF
Indian domain body NIXI
Debate Multistakeholder versus multilateral
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Science & Technology: IT, Telecommunications and Computers

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the account of smartphone technology. It moves from devices to the rules that keep the global network working and links to the later topics on cyber security and net neutrality. Previous topic: Smartphone Technology and Related Concepts. Next topic: Networking: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Hotspot.

Which Bodies Govern the Internet?

Body	Role
ICANN	A non-profit based in California, formed in 1998, which coordinates the domain name system, top level domains and the allocation of internet protocol addresses
IANA	Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, which keeps the root zone and protocol registries. Its oversight by the United States Department of Commerce ended in October 2016
IETF	Internet Engineering Task Force, which develops internet standards through open working groups
W3C	World Wide Web Consortium, which sets web standards such as HTML, founded by Tim Berners-Lee in 1994
Regional internet registries	Five bodies, including the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre, which give out address blocks
ITU	International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency for telecom standards and spectrum, which some states want to have a greater role
IGF	Internet Governance Forum, a non-binding annual dialogue of governments, business and civil society, begun in 2006 after the summit process

What Are the Debates and India’s Position?

WSIS: World Summit on the Information Society, held in Geneva in 2003 and Tunis in 2005, which led to the Internet Governance Forum
Multistakeholder model: governments, companies, technical experts and civil society decide together, favoured by the United States and many democracies
Multilateral model: governments lead through the United Nations, favoured by China, Russia and some others
India’s stance: India has argued for a greater role for governments and for a more democratic and representative system, and has taken part in the Internet Governance Forum
NIXI: National Internet Exchange of India, a non-profit set up in 2003 that manages the .in domain registry and internet exchange points in India
.in and Indian languages: India supports internationalised domain names in Indian scripts, such as .bharat in Devanagari and others
IPv6: the new internet address system with a vast number of addresses, which India is promoting
Data and sovereignty: issues such as data localisation, cross-border data flow and content regulation are part of the debate

What Else Should You Remember?

Domain name system: DNS converts names such as example.com into numerical addresses
Root servers: 13 sets of root name servers, run by different organisations, with many copies across the world, including some in India
Top level domains: country codes such as .in and generic ones such as .com
ICANN structure: includes a Governmental Advisory Committee in which India participates
NETmundial: a 2014 meeting in Brazil on internet governance principles after the surveillance disclosures of 2013
Snowden revelations: the 2013 disclosures about mass surveillance increased pressure for reform of the United States role
Net neutrality: treating all traffic equally, covered in Net Neutrality
Critical internet resources: names, numbers and protocols, whose management matters for stability
Internet shutdowns: India has had a high number of regional shutdowns, a human rights and governance issue
Cyber norms: United Nations expert groups discuss responsible state behaviour in cyberspace
Budapest Convention: a council of Europe treaty on cybercrime, to which India is not a party
UN cybercrime convention: a UN treaty on cybercrime was adopted in 2024, and its status for India should be checked
Global Digital Compact: adopted at the United Nations in 2024 as part of the Pact for the Future, for shared digital principles
Digital sovereignty: many countries want control over their data and networks
Link: Indian rules on data are in Cyber Law in India and Contemporary Debates
Submarine cables: most global traffic travels through undersea cables, which are a key part of internet infrastructure
Content delivery and cloud: large private firms own much of the infrastructure, which shapes governance in practice

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Bodies: ICANN, IANA, IETF, W3C
Dates: 1998, 2016, WSIS 2003 and 2005
Debate: multistakeholder versus multilateral
Current affairs link: UN digital compact and cybercrime treaty
Common errors: saying the UN controls the internet or that ICANN is a UN body

As an analytical point, the internet works because of voluntary technical coordination, but it now carries trade, security and rights, so states want a say. India’s position tries to balance openness with sovereignty.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Bodies ICANN and others
Debate Two models
India NIXI

What Came Next?

The next topic covers networking, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi hotspots. Next topic: Networking: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Hotspot.

Key People and Terms

ICANN Names and numbers coordinator
IANA Registry keeper
DNS Domain Name System
IGF Internet Governance Forum
NIXI National Internet Exchange of India
IPv6 New internet protocol

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

ICANN: 1998; US oversight ended October 2016.
WSIS: 2003 Geneva, 2005 Tunis.
IGF began in 2006.
NIXI set up in 2003.
ICANN is not a UN body.

Do Not Confuse With

ICANN and ITU Private non-profit versus UN agency
IETF and W3C Internet protocols versus web standards
Multistakeholder and multilateral Many actors versus governments led

Memory Hook

ICANN names the net, IANA keeps the roots, IGF only talks, NIXI minds dot-in.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for bodies, dates and the model debate. These points help.

Bodies Who governs
Debate Two models
India Position

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Examine the institutions of global internet governance and India’s position in the debate between multistakeholder and multilateral models.”

How to Answer

Bodies ICANN, IETF.
Change 2016 transition.
Models Two views.
India Stance.

GS Relevance

Prelims: ICANN, IANA, IGF, WSIS, NIXI, domain names. GS Paper 2: international institutions; GS Paper 3: cyber security.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is internet governance?

Internet governance means the processes, rules and institutions that shape how the internet is run, including technical standards, domain names, address allocation, security and public policy. No single government or body controls it, and many organisations, companies, technical experts and states share the work.

What is ICANN?

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is a non-profit organisation set up in 1998 in California that coordinates the domain name system, top level domains and internet protocol address allocation. From October 2016, it runs the IANA functions without oversight from the United States Government.

What is the Internet Governance Forum?

The Internet Governance Forum is an annual United Nations-backed meeting, created after the World Summit on the Information Society, where governments, companies, civil society and technical experts discuss internet policy. It cannot make binding decisions, and its value lies in dialogue and sharing of practices.

What is the difference between the multistakeholder and multilateral models?

In the multistakeholder model governments, private companies, technical experts and civil society share in decision-making, as in ICANN. In the multilateral model governments take the lead, usually through bodies of the United Nations. India has asked for a greater role for governments while accepting wide consultation.

What does NIXI do?

The National Internet Exchange of India, set up in 2003, is a non-profit body under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It runs internet exchange points to keep Indian traffic within the country, manages the .in country domain through its registry, and supports IPv6 adoption.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 ICANN is an agency of the United Nations.

False

It is a private non-profit.

2 US oversight of IANA functions ended in 2016.

True

In October 2016.

3 The Internet Governance Forum can make binding rules.