GENEVA—The story of Internet governance typically focuses on the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a California, non-profit corporation. Established by the U.S. government in 1998, its mandate is to administer issues such as the allocation of new top-level domains and the implementation of a domain name dispute resolution policy.
Columns Archive
In Web Disputes, U.S. Law Rules the World
Few Internet law issues generate more controversy than concerns surrounding Internet jurisdiction. In recent months, courts in both Australia and the United States have grappled with the issue in high-profile cases. The first involved an allegedly defamatory Wall Street Journal article about Joseph Gutnick, an Australian businessman who chose to sue in Australia rather than in the United States, where the newspaper is based. The second involved a copyright infringement suit launched in a California court against Kazaa, a leading online peer-to-peer file sharing service owned by an Australian company and incorporated in the Pacific nation of Vanuatu.
Legalese Proved No Defence in E-trading Case
With most e-commerce Web sites featuring privacy policies, copyright notices, and agreements governing site usage, users might be forgiven for suspecting that some lawyers have quietly turned to Web site design during their spare time.
Privacy Popular, but Eves Dropped the Ball
In Ontario provincial politics the fall of 2002 is best remembered for the public outcry over rising hydro bills that precipitated Premier Ernie Eves' decision to pull the plug on his plans for a market-based approach for electricity.<>
Courts Poised to Decide Internet Borders
If the first two weeks of 2003 are any indication, this is likely to be the busiest year yet in the law and technology field.