[discuss] Why oversight? (was Re: Opportunity for input on the development process forIANAoversight transition plan)

Wed Apr 2 17:21:52 UTC 2014

Hi Parminder,
At 05:47 02-04-2014, parminder wrote:
>In this attempt to appropriately address the current 'constitutional 
>moment' with regard to the technical/operational governance of the 
>Internet , we may need to employ some political concepts and 
>corresponding 'political fictions' . In that sense, though no one at 
>present delegates technical standards making role to the IETF 
>(although it is delegated by the US gov in the case of ICANN), it is 
>normally accepted that technical functions of public importance, 
>although often undertaken by expert technical bodies, must be 
>subject to larger public oversight through appropriate institutional 
>forms. It is in this sense that the political/ public administration 
>concept of 'delegated authority' was used by me, which is admittedly 
>fictional in the present context (it is simply hoped/ imagined that 
>IETF does its work as per wider public interest, and per the public 
>policies developed to that effect).
>
>The fact that, using the new Internet context, IETF crowd-sources 
>expertise in a very effective way, which enables it to undertaken 
>its technical functions in a much better manner, does not obviate 
>the need for public oversight. Expertise of whatever kind does not 
>replace political legitimacy, and we know, and, Stephen, you will 
>agree, that IETF almost exclusively deals with expertise and technical merit.

I did a search for "HTML standard" and the first result was 
http://www.whatwg.org/specs/web-apps/current-work/multipage/  Which 
HTML standard(s) does your web browser follow?

The above mentions "oversight" and "larger public oversight" for 
expert technical bodies.  Which bodies is being referred to?

When something is of public importance the government (in some 
countries) pays for it.  The government, for example, pays for the 
street lighting.  Which government spends money on non-local 
technical standards?

Anyone can say that they govern the internet.  In my opinion that can 
be classified under political fiction.  It might be embarrassing to 
explain to the voters that public funds are being used for that.

Regards,
S. Moonesamy 