Net body issues plea for liberty

Last Updated: Thursday, 24 January 2008, 10:56 GMT

Icann is keen to escape scrutiny by the US government

The overseer of the net's addressing system has asked the US government to be freed from official control.

Icann made the plea in a lengthy report sent to the US Department of Commerce.

The report will be the focus of a meeting to consider Icann's progress on objectives the US government set it in preparation for independence.

Icann argues these objectives have been achieved earlier than planned and now is the time for talk to turn into deciding what happens on independence.