A bill that affirms the stance of the United States on Internet governance, H.R. 1580, passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee this week. You may remember Congress unanimously passing a resolution on Internet governance this past December, Sen Con Res 50, which aimed at “expressing the sense of Congress regarding actions to preserve and advance the multistakeholder governance model under which the Internet has thrived.” H.R. 1580 , which states that, “it is the policy of the United States to preserve and advance the successful multi-stakeholder model that governs the Internet” makes Congressional sentiment more concrete by turning it in to policy.

CADNA is encouraged by the fact that the Hill is paying attention to Internet governance and looking to make its positions more concrete. To encourage Congress, CADNA sent a letter to the Committee commending its efforts. 

“As a voice for brand owners, CADNA appreciates your commitment to the preservation of an innovative and safe Internet for businesses and consumers alike,” the letter read. “National laws can provide solutions where ICANN policies fall short. Updated legislation is crucial to our economic prosperity and security. Strengthening the 1999 Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA), for example, will better deter cybersquatters in an expanded domain space.”

Much work remains, however. With a multistakeholder Internet governance model comes a responsibility for each stakeholder to positively contribute to a safe and flourishing Internet. So it follows that the U.S. government should stay informed and active on Internet governance where appropriate. One way that the government can have a positive impact is to take a look at existing laws to see which can be updated to keep pace with the changing online landscape. Laws created when the Internet was a different place – just a few years ago – might not address thorny challenges brand owners and consumers face today.