ICANN Urged To Take International And Security Rules Seriously By Council Of Europe

The Council of Europe released a Declaration encouraging the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ('ICANN'), when developing policies for the Internet's domain name system, to consider international privacy, security and human rights laws and policies. The Council has no legal power to force any changes on ICANN, but, having official observer status within ICANN's Governmental Advisory Committee, can offer detailed advice.

In its Declaration, the Council were keen to emphasise the important role that ICANN holds with regard to the control, security and supervision of the Internet, but also talked about its own responsibility to protect human rights; namely, the right to freedom of expression and access to information, the freedom of assembly and association, and the right to private and family life, including the protection of personal data.

As a result, the Council encourages ICANN to come to 'an appropriate balance' between economic interests and common interest objectives, such as pluralism, diversity and the needs of the vulnerable. To help ICANN achieve this, member states are asked to cooperate and communicate with ICANN to assist them in producing policies that comply with...