Globalising Internet governance

The European Commission says it is time to curb the United States’ influence over the net. The EU move builds on steady pressure in recent years to speed up the internationalisation of governing the Internet.

Currently the US-based ICANN or Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is responsible for much of the web’s infrastructure. But the recent spying activities of the National Security Agency, have concerned Europe.

Vice-president of the EU commission, Neelie Kroes now says it’s time the US loosens its grip on the internet.

But how much is Washington willing to give up? And how will global internet governance be regulated?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests: Nigel Hickson, the vice-president for Europe at ICANN

Andrei Soldatov, the co-founder and editor of Agentura.ru and specialist on Russian security issues, surveillance and internet regulation

Pavan Duggal, an advocate of the Supreme Court of India and chairman of the ASSOCHAM Cyberlaw Committee