US to give up control of Internet overseer

The US' plan to give up control over the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has reportedly triggered concerns of possible attempts by the United Nations or individual foreign governments to get control of the web.

The Los Angeles-based nonprofit that operates under a contract with the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, controls web domain names and other facets of Internet architecture.

According to Fox News, the agency recently announced that it wants ICANN to come up with a new governing structure, one that would be global and involve multiple stakeholders.

Cameron Kerry, former general counsel with the Commerce Department said that this was all about separating the Internet from government control, adding that the US is in the strongest position to argue against government control of the Internet if it relinquishes that last little bit of control that it has.

Meanwhile, calling the White House decision "dangerous", Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich tweeted that every American should worry about Obama giving up control of the internet to an undefined group.