Declaring Independence in Cyberspace: Internet Self-Governance and the End of US Control of ICANN
a conversation with
Milton L. Mueller, Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology
Marília Maciel, Digital Policy Senior Researcher at Diplo Foundation
Bob Cannon, Internet Policy Analyst
Join us on September 3, 2025, from 10:00 – 11:00 am EDT for what is sure to be a riveting discussion! Use the link here to register for the Zoom webinar: https://tinyurl.com/yh9m8wh8
Originally, ICANN was a bold institutional innovation based on a vision of Internet governance that was thoroughly globalized and independent of nation-states. The recent MIT Press book by Milton Mueller, Declaring Independence in Cyberspace, explains where this vision came from, the problems posed by its implementation, and the organization’s near-self destruction in its first five years. Contradicting that vision, the US government refused to let go of ICANN for 15 years, triggering geopolitical conflicts over sovereignty and US power.
Mueller details why that happened, what prompted its change of heart, and how independence of ICANN sparked a political battle in Washington. The book gets to the very heart of current debates over digital governance. Can there be popular sovereignty in cyberspace? Are state sovereignty and global Internet compatible? How feasible is it to set up new global governance institutions not based on territorial states? We will critically discuss these issues with the author and two internet policy experts.
Milton Mueller is Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Public Policy. One of the founders of the Internet Governance Project, Mueller has played a leading role in organizing and mobilizing civil society in ICANN and OECD. His research focuses on the political economy of the Internet, including property rights, institutions and global governance in the communication and information industries. He is the author of seven books and the co-founder of ICANN’s Noncommercial Users Constituency.
Marília Maciel, Director of Digital Trade and Economic Security, Diplo. Brazilian-born Marília Maciel is currently based in Strasbourg, France. Prior to joining Diplo, Ms Marília Maciel was a researcher and coordinator of the Center for Technology and Society of the Getulio Vargas Foundation (CTS/FGV) in Rio de Janeiro
Robert Cannon, Internet Policy Analyst. Bob has worked for the Office of Policy Analysis and Development (OPAD) at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. He also worked as Senior Counsel for Internet Law in the Federal Communication Commission’s Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis.
Book information: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262552585/declaring-independence-in-cyberspace/