Not Nominet
You realise how benign even the US government can be when you see what's happened to Nominet.
Originally a quiet 'naming committee' did the work. When demand got too big it had to be formalised into a proper organisation and Nominet was born. The early years were mostly good. There was a clear policy to service what are now called registrars and also to defend the domain holder against the worst of our breed and even their own incompetence. Nothing was a problem that a well intentioned and informed phone call to Abingdon would sort.
The bells starting ringing when they made a land grab for the old naming committee domains. And then certain decisions which can only be seen as money grabbing exercises. Then came policies (one a week it would seem). It relied on most of us not having the time to read through, understand and then lobby. So stupid things happened. HMG seeing this wild child out of control pulled the paedophile card to start having its own control.
Suddenly instead of Nominet serving registrars and the public - it is us that are serving them. There are policies which we have to adhere to whether relevant or not. Don't get me started on the data verification exercise - which has caused real problems for good genuine organisations that expect us to sort out Nominet's insistence they don't exist even when they are registered, have bank accounts etc.
No longer, when you do phone, do you get a helpful person who solves the problem but a recitation of policy. Applying a policy where it ain't meant to go is what they are now supposed to do.
I've sorted a few issues by just keeping on at them and raising my voice just the right amount and they still have the autonomy to give way. But for how long?
Sorry about the rant. But oversight by anybody other than those they are supposed to be serving is not a good idea. That's the end user, not the interested parties in between. Those parties can inform and give technical oversight but keep governments and big business out of it. And split them up into units too small to afford a big glitzy HQ.