[discuss] Dear ICANN - Feedback

parminder parminder at itforchange.net
Mon Apr 14 08:38:42 UTC 2014


On Monday 14 April 2014 07:15 AM, Ian Peter wrote:
> George,
>
> I would not describe it an an operational function myself. Nothing 
> operational is involved. NTIA checks to see that appropriate policies 
> have been followed. And, as you say, ticks the box. Then the change 
> occurs. I don't call that operational, but maybe that is just 
> semantics. Many people call this the "oversight" function, but that is 
> not a good description either.

Why you think it is not a good description... It is plain and simple 
oversight...
>
> In any case, who performs this  previous NTIA role under new 
> structures (if anyone)  is the question of broader interest. 

But arent ICANN's recent proclamations foreclosing any such 
discussion... They already assume that they would perform the role, and 
merely speak of accountability mechanisms, which nomenclature signifies 
(1) post facto procedures and (2) having loose 'powers' and not the kind 
of authority that NTIA  had which was absolute...

> Which is why I suggest a committee with wider involvement to examine 
> how this best evolves.

There is no meaning in proposing a committee without mentioning how 
should it be constituted... for instance a committee full of people from 
what is called as 'ICANN community' will no doubt give recs to keep the 
function within the ICANN with some fine tuning here and there of 
accountability mechanisms to the 'community'.

parminder
>
> Your statement below is a little confusing to me, but to be clear I am 
> only suggesting a committee to examine how the function evolves and 
> make recommendations. I am not suggesting a committee to perform the 
> "oversight" function.
>
> Ian Peter
>
> -----Original Message----- From: George Sadowsky
> Sent: Monday, April 14, 2014 11:26 AM
> To: Peter Ian
> Cc: ianatransition at icann.org ; discuss at 1net.org
> Subject: Re: [discuss] Dear ICANN - Feedback
>
> Ian,
>
> I want to probe your response below somewhat further.
>
> At the moment, the IANA operational function that NTIA performs is, in 
> the case of any new delegation or redelegation of any entry in the 
> root zone file. NTIA checks to see that the appropriate policies have 
> been followed. If they have, IANA checks the box, and the change occurs.
>
> Is this the function that you suggest should be delegated to a 
> separate committee involving wider representation from the wider 
> multistakeholder community involving a much wider range of 
> governmental, civil society and business interests?
>
> If not, could you please be precise in describing exactly which other 
> functions are to be replaced by this wider group?
>
> George
>
>
>
> On Apr 13, 2014, at 8:58 PM, Ian Peter <ian.peter at ianpeter.com> wrote:
>
>> Dear ICANN,
>>
>> You have asked for feedback on your proposal, so here is mine.
>>
>> Firstly, I now think your Steering Committee is fine for most of your 
>> initial tasks. I originally did not, as it is narrowly constricted to 
>> the technical community rather than the wider multistakeholder 
>> community involved with internet governance issues. However, as I can 
>> see from the scattered discussions occurring here and on other lists, 
>> there seem to be quite a few people wanting to talk about the minutae 
>> of day to day operational matters, and your steering committee will 
>> serve to bring some focus and structure to those discussions. I would 
>> suggest your first task might be to examine which if any of the 
>> current functions, each of which seem to have been performed well for 
>> over a decade, might need to be re-examined.
>>
>> But for most of us, these discussions are beyond our level of 
>> interest, and hence you will notice on this list and on others the 
>> number of people who have just stopped engaging.
>>
>> However, there is one issue on which many of us to maintain some 
>> interest, and that is the oversight function which was the subject of 
>> the NTIA announcement. This has been described as simply clerical, 
>> some of us have seen it as largely symbolic, but whatever the reality 
>> is, this function has been the subject of contention for over a 
>> decade and will continue to be – not so much in the narrow steering 
>> committee of the technical groups, but in the wider multistakeholder 
>> community involving a much wider range of governmental, civil society 
>> and business interests.
>>
>> Which is where my main suggestion lies. I think you need a separate 
>> committee to look at this particular issue, and one which involves 
>> representation from wider stakeholder groups not directly associated 
>> with the technical community – because, in the end, they will make or 
>> break any proposal for change here. I urge you to look at the 
>> appropriate way to engage this wider stakeholder group – as well, 
>> perhaps you could engage this wider and more representative group 
>> with involvement at eg the Internet Governance Forum, a notable 
>> absentee from your calendar of events.
>>
>> One more suggestion and word of caution. There seems to be a 
>> prevailing thought that it doesn’t matter how long it takes to 
>> resolve this, and if it goes beyond September 2015 so be it. I 
>> disagree. If ICANN and associated bodies cannot come up with a 
>> structure for a simple governance function in 18 months – a task any 
>> government or corporation could do in less than three months – it 
>> will be widely perceived as being incapable and inefficient. People 
>> will lose patience and begin to look at other alternatives. So I do 
>> suggest that you add some firm timelines to your deliberations.
>>
>> I hope this input is useful to you. I look forward to some more 
>> structured discussion in the future, and to a recognition that the 
>> sorts of matters largely being discussed here are in many cases not 
>> the matters that concern the wider community of interests beyond the 
>> technical community. You must structure your activities to engage 
>> those wider interests positively.
>>
>> Ian Peter
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> discuss mailing list
>> discuss at 1net.org
>> http://1net-mail.1net.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss 
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> discuss mailing list
> discuss at 1net.org
> http://1net-mail.1net.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>




More information about the discuss mailing list