Which organization is responsible for managing domain names and IP addresses on the Internet?

The organization responsible for managing domain names and IP addresses on the Internet is the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN plays a critical role in maintaining the functionality and stability of the Internet by coordinating the global domain name system (DNS) and overseeing the allocation of IP address space. This ensures that every device connected to the Internet can communicate effectively by having a unique address.

ICANN’s responsibilities include the management of top-level domain names (such as .com, .org, and country code domains like .us or .uk) and the delegation of these domain names to various registrars around the world. Additionally, it manages the process of creating and enforcing policies related to online naming conventions and IP addressing, which helps prevent conflicts and confusion.

Understanding ICANN's role is essential for grasping how the Internet's structure is organized, and it emphasizes the importance of having an authoritative body to manage these critical resources, thus facilitating global connectivity.