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Here is a version that could be used as a basis for the Best Bits
statement. I added a note about this being 'just one' step towards
more inclusive and accountable governance, even if a significant
step.<br>
<br>
Personally I think that the really interesting, but also challenging
outcome of this is that it means we need to rethink the NetMundial
Agenda and what we really want to get out of it.<br>
<br>
What is so good though is that the conversation with governments,
and private institutions, the technical community etc. can now focus
on the substance of how decisions are made, and how participation is
ensured, and accountability and transparency maintained, and what
principles are used in making these decisions.<br>
<br>
The location of ICANN in the US and the relationship with the US has
been a bottleneck in talking about 'enhanced coopration' etc. etc.
This is not going to make it easier.<br>
<br>
The challenge of dealing with governments who desire more control,
and those nongovernmental institutions involved in inernet
governance who are not sufficiently accountable, and not operating
based on commonly understood public interest and rights-based
principles, remain.. and is even greater actually. And a further
challenge will be to ensure that ICANN, while I think has been
positively proactive, and in some senses opportunistic (which is not
a bad thing) since the NSA revelation, does not, riding on increased
legitimacy, unduly expand its scope, reach, power.<br>
<br>
Anriette<br>
<br>
<br>
<strong>DRAFT Best Bits welcomes <span class="caps">NTIA</span>
announcement on transition of key internet domain name functions</strong><br>
<br>
Members of the Best Bits coalition welcome the announcement made by
the United States Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications
and Information Administration (<span class="caps">NTIA</span>) of
its ‘intent to transition key internet domain name functions to the
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.ntia.doc.gov/press-release/2014/ntia-announces-intent-transition-key-internet-domain-name-functions">global
multi-stakeholder community</a>.'<strong></strong><br>
<br>
NTIA’s responsibility under current agreements means it has served
as the “historic steward” of the <span class="caps">DNS</span>
(internet domain name system). The fact that a single government
currently plays this role, even if it has not been a particularly
“hands-on” role, has been cause for concern and debate among
governments and other stakeholders for more than a decade.<br>
<br>
We commend the <span class="caps">NTIA</span> for committing to the
transition to a multi-stakeholder process that needs full
involvement of civil society, governments, business and the internet
technical community (to mention just some of the current
stakeholders affected by internet decision making) and for requiring
that the resulting transition plan maintains the openness of the
internet.<br>
<br>
This is however not trivial, as mechanisms for democratising
internet governance, and ensuring really effective and inclusive
participation of all who are affected by internet policy making and
standard setting are still evolving. A transition away from US
government oversight does not in itself guarantee inclusion,
transparency and accountability or protection of the public interest
in the management of DNS and the root zone. Nevertheless, this is a
very constructive step, definitely in the right direction, and a
unique opportunity to make progress in the evolution of the internet
governance ecosystem. This is particularly important for
stakeholders from developing countries.<br>
<br>
We recommend that <span class="caps">ICANN</span> (the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), to which the <span
class="caps">NTIA</span> is entrusting the development of the
transition plan, look beyond its own internal multi-stakeholder
processes in bringing together the larger community for the
necessary consultations on how this transition should be undertaken.
We also recommend that <span class="caps">ICANN</span> consider the
submissions about how this transition can take place that were made
to the upcoming NetMundial: Global Meeting on the Future of Internet
Governance ‒ <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.netmundial.br/" title="www.netmundial.br">www.netmundial.br</a>
‒ to be held in Brazil in late April 2014.
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