| If the old adage is true that what stands | | | | their information and accreditation programs. |
| behind every good man is a woman, what stands | | | | They also make sure these agencies have filed |
| behind every powerful organization? A | | | | the appropriate credentials from each |
| committee. Almost all organizations that | | | | registrar to maintain a proper extension. |
| direct everything from software to soda pop, | | | | ICANN also works across different governments |
| have an advisory or oversight committee | | | | with various requirements regarding what |
| behind them creating regulations, monitoring | | | | should be available or usable for domain |
| conduct, and making sure all the rules are | | | | names on the web. ICANN has collected a list |
| followed. When reviewing registry domain | | | | of words considered obscenities and blocked |
| names, there is a committee standing behind | | | | them from Internet use as domain names. ICANN |
| that process to make sure things happen in a | | | | tracks site registants and keeps a consistent |
| fair and safe manner. That committee's name | | | | eye on the flow of questionable domain names |
| is ICANN What is it? ICANN stands for the | | | | through its tracking systems. What doesn't it |
| Internet Cooperation for Assigned Names and | | | | do? Although it is the official monitor of |
| Numbers. It is a nonprofit organization | | | | the Internet. ICANN does have limitations to |
| charged by the United States government to | | | | its power. ICANN monitors and reports but has |
| work with governments around the world and | | | | no punitive value. ICANN does report |
| manage the domain name system or DNS that | | | | violations to agencies which regulate and |
| ensures every address of a web site is unique | | | | investigate any kind of fraud. ICANN does not |
| and functioning properly. Each domain name | | | | take reports of Internet gambling, spam, or |
| has underneath that a series of numbers | | | | inappropriate access or hacking, All of that |
| assigned which locates that particular spot | | | | is done by agencies that ICANN refers to. |
| on the Internet. Because memorizing long | | | | ICANN makes no court appearances in regard to |
| series of numbers is neither easy nor fun, | | | | copyrights or domain name registration |
| the system was created to place names | | | | disputes, leaving that to other agencies and |
| attached to those numbers which we can | | | | the domain name registrars. ICANN does not |
| remember and use with frequency and | | | | look for content on the web that does not |
| efficiency. ICANN makes sure those names and | | | | meetin international laws and stardards. |
| numbers match up with valid addresses to | | | | However it does provide access to IP |
| ensure the Internet is working properly. What | | | | addresses and records of website registrants. |
| does it do? ICANN not only monitors | | | | ICANN is a valuable resource for information |
| individual domain names and registrars, but | | | | in the continuing efforts of world |
| also monitors domain name agencies. These | | | | governments to combat cyber-crime. You can |
| groups take care of most of the space on the | | | | run a business your whole life and never hear |
| Internet and register names and extensions | | | | of ICANN. Yet, they provide a valuable |
| for them. ICANN sets accreditation standards | | | | service to the Internet, making the domain |
| that the agencies must meet and checks up on | | | | names safe, accessible and accredited. |