[governance] What ICANN Do

[Karl Auerbach]

Dan Krimm wrote:

>> Does this list think it would be of much benefit if I created a factsheet or
>> somesuch that clearly defines what ICANN does and does not do?

And one might also add a column that describes what ICANN was created to do.

ICANN was created to provide assurance of technical stability in three 
areas:

    - The technical stability of the upper tiers of DNS as measured by 
the prompt, efficient, and accurate transformation of DNS query packets 
into DNS response packets without bias for or against any query source 
or query subject.

    - The technical stability of the IP address allocation system.

    - The efficient handling of protocol parameters on behalf of the IETF.

Of these, the first is not being done by ICANN at all.  This has created 
a dangerous situation for internet users (including business users) 
arguably like that faced by that the residents of New Orleans during the 
summer of 2005 when they believed, inaccurately as it turned out, that 
there was adequate protection against hurricanes and agencies with plans 
and assets ready to assist with recovery.

The second has been effectively abandoned by ICANN to the RIRs.  The 
RIR's gifted ICANN with about 2/3 of a million dollars (US) when ICANN 
was about to become insolvent and in return have obtained nearly 
complete independence while still retaining veil of immunity by being 
formally, if only in the most tenuous way, part of the ICANN family.

The third is being done.  One might wonder why other standards bodies 
that contribute to the internet - the W3C, the IEEE, even the ITU - have 
to pay for their own clerical functions while the IETF gets it for free 
from ICANN (oops, from IANA operated per purchase order from NTIA.)

Which reminds me - when talking about functions it is important to 
clearly separate IANA from ICANN.  The former is done by ICANN under 
contract and is not necessarily an intrinsically or inseparable part of 
ICANN.

By-the-way, many have forgotten but the "technical assurance" language 
was not used in all contexts.  ICANN's purpose as expressed when it got 
its US tax exemption was to "lessen the burdens of government".

It's also amusing to look at the various claims of purpose that ICANN 
has made over the years.  For example, in its year 2005 and 2006 US 
Federal tax filings ICANN claimed that it oversees the root servers - a 
job that it has never done: See 
http://www.cavebear.com/cbblog-archives/000291.html

		--karl--

____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     governance at lists.cpsr.org
To be removed from the list, send any message to:
     governance-unsubscribe at lists.cpsr.org

For all list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance