2 chapters across the catalog
The hosts examine the leadership at ICANN as CEO Rod Beckstrom prepares to step down in July. They criticize the high executive compensation and the appointment of Elad Levinson, a psychotherapist and HR professional, to a leadership role within the organization. The discussion links these management changes to broader concerns about internet governance and the recent SOPA blackout protests.
ICANN New TLD Rollout and the Thick Whois System
ICANN's rollout of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) is identified as a potential "smoke screen" for the implementation of the "Thick Whois" system. This system requires registrars to verify the identity of domain owners, effectively creating a de facto national ID system for the internet. The discussion highlights that ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom, a former DHS official, is overseeing this transition, which will make it easier for law enforcement to take down websites based on verified registration data.
