Ukraine asked ICANN turn of all Russian domains to “prevent misinformation & propaganda.” ICANN responded: “It is only through broad unimpeded access to the internet that citizens can receive reliable information & a diversity of viewpoints.”

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has declined Ukraine’s plea to cut Russia off from the global internet.

Following the invasion by Russian forces, Ukraine’s representative at ICANN had asked for top-level domains and their associated Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates, to be revoked and web hosting services taken down.

However ICANN says it can’t do that, and even if it could – it wouldn’t, as such actions are not within the corporation’s mission.

No actor can shut down the internet

The news was confirmed in a letter ICANN’s CEO, Göran Marby, sent to the Ukrainian officials.

“As you know, the Internet is a decentralized system. No one actor has the ability to control it or shut it down,” ICANN CEO Göran Marby allegedly wrote.

www.techradar.com/news/icann-rejects-call-to-remove-russian-domains-from-the-internet