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Privacy & Security December 8, 2023

What is ICANN?

ICANN shapes and safeguards the internet we navigate daily. Read on to learn about the vital role it plays in domain name registration and management.

by Editor 4 min read

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the organization that ensures a stable, secure, and unified global Internet for all of us. Without ICANN, getting a domain name would be a complicated process with little protection for your domain or personal information.

Read on to learn exactly what ICANN does and what it means for you.

What does ICANN do?

Formed in 1998, ICANN plays a vital role in keeping the internet functioning smoothly by governing all domain registries, registrars, and IP addresses. As a nonprofit public benefit corporation, it manages the naming system of the web for all countries and continents — the entire infrastructure that allows us to find and connect with others on the internet!

ICANN focuses on identifiers like domain names, IP addresses, and root servers. It’s responsible for:

Allocating IP addresses: IP (Internet Protocol) addresses are how computers access websites and read domain names.
Managing the Domain Name System (DNS): The DNS collects and catalogs all the domain names registered, acting like a translator between the domain name and the IP address the computer reads. DNS management includes accrediting domain registrars (like us) and registries.
Managing root servers: A server is an external computer that houses information. A root server is a part of the DNS and contains the records that allow computers to connect an IP address to a domain name.
Administrating top-level domains (TLD): A TLD is also called a domain extension and is the last part of a domain name that follows the dot, like .com or .org.
Assigning protocol identifiers: A protocol identifier is a part of your website’s URL and is represented by “http” or “https.”

You can think of ICANN as a traffic controller for the internet, ensuring its organization and smooth operation for users globally.

ICANN, the DNS, and domain names

ICANN created the Domain Name System, making it possible for you to securely buy and use a domain name for your website. A domain name is your web address, like “DomainRegistry.com.”

The DNS is the system that catalogs all domain names registered through ICANN-accredited registrars (like us), connecting domain names to IP addresses through root servers. It performs the complicated process of breaking down your URL so computers can find your website. It also ensures that no one else can register your domain name.

Who is involved with ICANN?

Since 2016, ICANN has been an international private nonprofit group. It’s made up of supporting organizations and committees managing specific areas of the internet.

Three key organizations support ICANN:

GNSO (Generic Names Supporting Organization) manages generic top-level domains (TLDs)
CCNSO (Country Code Names Supporting Organization) manages country-code TLDs (ccTLDs)
ASO (Address Supporting Organization) manages IP addresses

Four committees advise ICANN, ensuring a fair and transparent workflow:

Root server operators
Governments and international treaty organizations
Internet privacy and security-related entities
Members of the Internet community

Suggestions for changes come from supporting organizations. Advisory committees debate the changes, and they go to ICANN’s Board of Directors for approval.

ICANN and you

But what does ICANN actually have to do with you, your domain, or your website?

ICANN oversees the domain registrar system, managing IP addresses to keep everyone in the world connected. When you use an ICANN-accredited registrar, like Domain Registry, your domain name is part of the centralized database. Without ICANN, the internet’s infrastructure would collapse, affecting access to all websites.

Basically, no ICAAN = no internet! ICANN allows us all to exist and connect on the web in a meaningful way.

ICANN in the real world

When you register a domain, you’re agreeing to something called a Uniform Domain-Name Dispute Resolution Policy. This policy states that your are not using the domain name for illegal purposes or in bad faith, and it doesn’t infringe on any trademark or copyrighted works. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the organization ICANN uses to settle these types of disputes.

Here are some real-world examples that highlight ICANN’s role in website and domain name management:

The domain name “worldwrestlingfederation.com.” was discovered to be registered under nefarious means to try and sell back to the World Wrestling Federation. WIPO required the person who registered the domain name to transfer it to the WWF.
ICANN’s Ukrainian representative requested ICANN revoke Russia’s top-level domains and its SSL certificates to cut the country off from the internet during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ICANN ruled that it would do more harm than good to disconnect Russia from the internet.
A registrant registered the domain name “mickjagger.com” for their pornographic website. When the real Mick Jagger discovered the website, he filed a complaint with ICANN to have the domain name transferred to him. The ruling went in his favor, allowing the entertainer to convert the site registered in bad faith into an official fan website.

Frequently Asked Questions

While ICANN oversees the internet’s processes, that does not mean it has any say over what content you choose to put on your website. It can’t do anything about spam or hackers. It can take action if your domain name violates copyright or is registered in bad faith.

ICANN began as a part of the US government, but it’s now a private-public nonprofit governed by a Board of Directors and supported by smaller organizations that manage areas of the internet like IP addresses and disputes. There are also many subsections and committees of ICANN that all follow the bylines of the organization to create a safe and secure global web.

ICANN is broken into a Board of Directors that makes all final decisions. Three supporting organizations oversee domains, extensions, and IP addresses. There are also advisory committees made up of representatives from the greater internet community around the world.

To file a complaint with ICANN specifically, you’ll need to contact the Complaints Office. This office is only for complaints that aren’t handled by another branch. You’ll use ICANN’s complaint form to send in complaints related to ICANN processes, request handling, and systemic issues.

You can apply for a volunteer position within the organization. You can also join ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) if you are part of a national government, multinational governmental organization, treaty organization, or public authority. There are also three meetings available to the public throughout each year. Check ICANN’s meeting calendar for dates.

No. Even though you register a domain through a domain registrar, you’re still using ICANN since it manages and created the whole Domain Name System and IP addresses. If you’re online, you’re using ICANN. There’s no avoiding it in the modern age.

No. ICANN only manages the DNS and domain registrars. It does not sell or register domain names for the public. The next best thing to registering a domain through ICANN is registering one with an ICANN-accredited registrar, like Domain Registry.

ICANN is an organization that oversees the infrastructure of the internet and the Domain Name System (DNS), while WHOIS is a collection of databases that serves as a public directory or “phone book” for domain name owners. You can discover the owner of a website by using a WHOIS lookup tool to search for any domain. ICANN offers its own, similar lookup tool, where you can search domain names or IP addresses and find the owner’s phone number, email, and address if available.

How To Guides November 27, 2023

WHOIS Lookup

WHOIS Lookup

Domain Name Search

Domain Name Search

About Us

About Us

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