[governance] request IG Caucus to join coalition / sign global petition to protect free expression at ICANN

[Robin Gross]

Dear Internet Governance Caucus,

I am writing to invite the WSIS Internet Governance Caucus to sign-on to 
a global petition to the ICANN Board to protect freedom of expression 
and innovation in domain name policy at ICANN. The petition is below.

The "Keep the Core Neutral" campaign will officially launch on 27 June 
at the San Juan ICANN Board meeting. We would like to have an initial 
set of coalition members who have signed the petition upon launch on the 
27th.

There is more detailed info on this issue at:
http://ipjustice.org/wp/campaigns/internet-governance/icann/gtlds/
http://gnso.icann.org/issues/new-gtlds/

Also, please keep an eye on the coalition webpage in the next week as we 
gather coalition members and initial signatures to the petition: 
http:www.keep-the-core-neutral.org

Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions on this campaign 
or petition.

Thank you very much!
Robin

==================

Global Petition to ICANN Board of Directors: “Keep the Core Neutral”

Everyone has the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas 
without interference through any media, including cyberspace.

As the new generic top-level domain name space emerges and policy 
choices are made about how ideas may be expressed at the Internet’s 
top-level, we ask ICANN to keep the core neutral of non-technical 
disputes and choose policies that respect freedom of expression and 
permit innovation in the new domain name space.

Encouraging the free flow of information is a foundational principle of 
public policy decisions related to information and communication 
technology. Freedom of expression rights, which are fundamental in an 
Information Society, foster democratic participation, individual 
empowerment, and economic development.

Cyberspace remains a unique and special place that bridges ancient 
divisions, where diverse communities interact readily, and all views are 
welcome. But only if these attributes are valued by policymakers who set 
Internet governance rules and incorporated into policies about how ideas 
may be expressed in domain names.

We ask that ICANN stay within its technical mandate and refrain from 
embedding particular national, regional, moral, or religious policy 
objectives into global rules over the use of language in domain names. 
It would be dangerous “mission-creep” for ICANN to adjudicate between 
conflicting policy objectives and set global standards for expression 
that are enforced through ICANN’s technical function. Please do not 
allow ICANN to become a convenient lever of global control by those 
seeking to censor unpopular or controversial expression on the Internet.

We urge ICANN to resist any attempt to limit what ideas may be expressed 
at any level of the Internet hierarchy. Please keep the Internet’s 
technical core neutral from national or other ideological conflicts, 
allowing freedom and innovation to flourish in cyberspace.

Signed,

[Individuals or groups may sign.]



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