OFFLIST:Re: [governance] Separate statement on themes for

[Lee W McKnight]

Parminder's phrasing works for me.


________________________________________
From: Parminder [parminder at itforchange.net]
Sent: Saturday, February 06, 2010 2:00 PM
To: governance at lists.cpsr.org; McTim
Subject: Re: OFFLIST:Re: [governance] Separate statement on themes for Vilnius

McTim

We may not much more time for this, but if your problem, as I read it, is that you think our statement seems to jettison considerations of technical principles in favour of 'internet rights and principles', which is of course not at all meant, we can change the concerned sentence a bit, basically removing the term 'alternative'.


"Internet governance has up to this time largely been founded in technical principles and, increasingly, on the Internet’s functionality as a giant global marketplace. With the Internet becoming  increasingly central to many social and political institutions, an alternative foundation and conceptual framework for IG can be explored in looking at 'internet rights and principles'."

may be changed to

"Internet governance has up to this time largely been founded in technical principles and, increasingly, on the Internet’s functionality as a giant global marketplace. With the Internet becoming  increasingly central to many social and political institutions, we are of the view that a consideration of 'internet rights and principles' can provide the basis for a more comprehensive conceptual framework for IG."


we will need to put this for consensus call in the next 12 hours, if it has to be read out on 9th  in the open consultations.

Parminder






McTim wrote:

Here is my take on all this,

On Sat, Feb 6, 2010 at 4:41 AM, Parminder <parminder at itforchange.net><mailto:parminder at itforchange.net> wrote:

<snip>



Network Neutrality - Ensuring Openness in All Layers of the Internet

Network neutrality has been an important architectural principle for the
Internet. This principle is under considerable challenge as Internet becomes
the mainstream communication platform for almost all business and social
activities. This main session will examine the implication of this
principle, and its possible evolutionary interpretations, for Internet
policy in different areas. Issues about the openness of the Internet
architecture are increasingly manifest in all layers of the Internet today.

A Development Agenda for Internet Governance
Development is a key focus of the Tunis Agenda and its mandate for the IGF.
 But while development has been posed as a cross-cutting theme of
IGF meetings, they have not featured a broadly inclusive and probing
dialogue on what Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) might mean in
conceptual and operational terms.  To address this gap, the IGC previously
has advocated a main session on A Development Agenda for Internet
Governance, and some its members have organized workshops or produced
position papers elaborating different visions of what such an agenda could
entail.   In light of the related discussions during the Sharm el Sheikh
cycle, we renew our call for a main session on this theme.  The dialogue at
Vilnius could, inter alia, identify the linkages between Internet governance
mechanisms and development, and consider options for mainstreaming
development considerations into IGF discussions and Internet governance
processes, as appropriate.  We also continue to support the
Swiss government’'s proposal to consider establishing a multi-stakeholder
Working Group that could develop recommendations to the IGF on a development
agenda.
Internet rights and principles

A main session on 'Internet rights and principles' would explore a
rights-based



Jeannette said:

"The HR section is a matter of wording rather than a substantial
issue. We can get it accepted by MAG if we take into account the
objection of MAG members who take issue with rights based approaches
and resort to language instead that circumvents this conflict."

It seems that the above formulation does not avoid that conflict.


discourse in the area of Internet Governance. While it is


relatively easy to articulate and claim “rights” it is much more difficult
to agree on, implement and enforce them. We also recognize that rights
claims can sometimes conflict or compete with each other. There can also be
uncertainty about the proper application of a rights claim to a factual
situation. The change in the technical methods of communication often
undermines pre-existing understandings of how to apply legal categories.



I can't parse this sentence.



These complexities, however, only strengthen the case for using the IGF to
explicitly discuss and debate these problems. Internet governance has up to
this time largely been founded in technical principles and, increasingly, on
the Internet’s functionality as a giant global marketplace. With the
Internet bec
oming  increasingly central to many social and political institutions, an
alternative foundation and conceptual framework for IG can be explored in
looking at 'internet rights and principles'.



Hmmm, in the para on NN, statement reads:

"Network neutrality has been an important architectural principle for
the Internet."  I assume this "technical principle" is meant as a
"good thing".  In the HR section however we say something that seems
to me to be contradictory.  If my paraphrasing is incorrect, please
let me know but it seems we want to say "technical principles were
used in the past, but now we want it based on HR instead"  Can we
realistically ask to have it both ways?


In any event there are some process issues that we need to consider
for the future.  Here is a timeline of how we got to this point
AFAICS:

Jan 29th Jeremy asked us to get to work on a statement, (which is what
a coordinator should do BTW)

Jan 31st I floated a trial balloon

Feb 1st I posted a draft, which got some (limited support) and Yehuda
asked for a call on it (which I thought was premature)

Feb 5 BD posts a second statement, which draws one comment with
suggested amendments.  6 hours later, (in a seemingly offlist
communique) we are asked to make up some new text based on that single
comment so that we can have 24hrs of discussion and then a call for
consensus for 24hrs.

I realise that our charter leaves a great deal of latitude in how
things get drafted, but this process strikes me as incredibly messy.
I am afraid that if we continue with "seat of the pants" decision
making, appeals will arise.

How do we formalise procedures so that we all know what to expect when
it comes to statements?  Does this require changes to the charter?



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