[governance] ICANN Board Vote Signals Era ofCensorshipinDomain Names

[Milton Mueller]

>>> guru at itforchange.net 4/5/2007 10:27 PM >>>
>>1. "But if they don't agree, on what basis can they impose 
>>a uniform policy on the entire world, via ICANN? " 
>
>I must confess surprise at such a simplistic statement. 
>Policy formulation is complex, inter alia, because it is a a 
>process of negotiation amongst different interest groups.

You misunderstood my argument. My point was not that governments did
not find themselves in immediate and total agreement. 

My point was exactly that on ICANN-related issues governments have not
undertaken _any_ process of lawful negotiation and agreement, and even
when they have attempted to do so, they still have not come to a formal
agreement. Indeed, they insist that the IG Forum NOT engage in such
agreement-producing processes. Did you ever hear of a process called
WSIS? What was the result? Enhanced cooperation? What was the result of
that?

If governments cannot agree under formal circumstances it is wrong for
them to exert unaccountable, untransparent, lawless, informal influence
over ICANN processes. Currently, government's influence over ICANN
processes is what we call "regulation by raised eyebrow;" it consists of
veiled threats, informal and arbitrary pressure and backroom agreements.


As you know, IGP has proposed that governments _be responsible_ and
enter into formal negotiations on a framework convention for the
Internet. The most powerful governments are opposed because they do not
want to subject themselves to such a discipline. 

Without democratic representation and lawful, accountable processes
governments are just a bunch of thugs with guns. 


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