[discuss] NTIA role

[Milton L Mueller]

-----Original Message-----
From: discuss-bounces at 1net.org [mailto:discuss-bounces at 1net.org] On Behalf Of S Moonesamy
>> is there any online document 
> > explaining precisely:
> > - the role played by NTIA in general terms,
> > - the concrete operations it includes?
> >
> > The contracts describe precisely Icann and Verisign parts. But what 
> > about the other side?

This is a good question. One of the reasons the NTIA role needs reform is that there actually are no explicit laws, rules or regulations guiding its activity. The IANA contract, if I am not mistaken, binds ICANN to a set of activities and service criteria, but nothing in it really commits NTIA to anything. If NTIA chose to employ its authorization role in a slow, arbitrary or even destructive manner, it might be politically damaging to the US administration, but it could not be challenged legally.