What kind of organization, then, is ICANN? It is in form a private body, a California-based ? 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.5 Yet when it comes to ICANN, the usual lines between what is private and what is public have always been blurred. In this Essay, I will address the relationship between ICANN and national governments, and how that relationship has changed over time. I’ll discuss the changing nature of ICANN’s relationship with the U.S. government, as well as the evolution of other national governments’ policy-making role within ICANN.