[governance] Networkworld: ICANN Sets Up A Coalition to address new Internet governance challenges

Fri Nov 22 14:47:25 EST 2013

As far as I could notice in my first ICANN meeting, there is still no clear
understanding that ICANN serves the public good. This line is becoming more
prominent in speeches, but the assimilation and the interpretation of what
this "public responsibility" entails varies a lot across the organization.
I can't remember hearing words like "development" and "human rights".
Competition seems to be used in place of development, as if one thing would
necessarily entail the other. And competition should be achieved by market
forces, not through policy (ex: making the application for new gTLDs less
expensive for developing country applicants was not approved some time
ago).

I don't think that arguments such as "the responsibility to support the
weakest link" would mean much in a high policy dialogue inside ICANN. On
the best case, my feeling is that it would translate into support for the
attendance of some constituency members or more fellowships. It does not
mean, however, that we should demonize the space or stay away from it. It
was created with this DNA for historical and political reasons. It is up to
people who believe that the idea of the "public good" and "development" and
"rights" should be reinforced to be there and shape it. The much necessary
internationalization would not translate into significant changes on the
operational level, unless these different views are strengthened from
within.

Marília

On Fri, Nov 22, 2013 at 4:03 PM, William Drake <william.drake at uzh.ch> wrote:

> Hi Michael
>
> On Nov 21, 2013, at 4:02 PM, michael gurstein <gurstein at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the endorsement Bill, but you left out what I consider to be a
> crucial element which is that that support should not be done simply by
> attempting to incorporate/co-opt civil society within ICANN (as seems to be
> the current direction) but rather to provide a means for the independent
> support of an independent, broadly based and inclusive Civil Society—not an
> easy task to accomplish but not I think, impossible.
>
>
> I have no idea on what basis you are characterizing “the current
> direction” in that manner.  What conversations with whom have you had that
> gives you this special insight about “co-optation” being underway?   All I
> have heard, which was responsive to your prior comment so I replied, is
> that ICANN recognizes that CS needs to be fully included in the effort.
>
>
> A useful example with some (but not total) relevance is the support that
> OSI provided for CSISAC at the OECD, which among other things,
>
>
> So you’re talking about money?  I’ve not heard discussions of money, just
> of ensuring the platform is open to all in terms of participation and
> inputs.
>
>  allowed for the hiring of a (part-time) CS coordinator and some (limited)
> funds for selected/expert CS participation in various OECD substantive
> activities/events. BTW one of the reasons that this worked to the degree
> that it did was that the funding went (indirectly) to CSISAC and the
> co-ordinator reported to the Steering Committee rather than for example,
> the funding being given to one or another of the organizational members of
> CSISAC who then had the responsibility for (opportunity to) pick and choose
> re: how the funds were spent (which inevitably leads to suspicion and bad
> feeling).
>
> Of course, the OECD is quite a different space from the IG one but various
> groupings within CS including notably a lot of the current parties in the
> IG CS space have managed to cooperate and accomplish quite a great deal as
> a result, in large part, of the (quite modest) financial support provided
> by OSI.
>
>
> Yes, it’s a different space.  But at this point we’re still talking about
> much more basic things, like what the framework for participation in
> planning arrangements will be, how people will provide inputs, etc.  The
> Brazilians will have more to say after their meeting Monday.
>
> Best,
>
> Bill
>
>
> M,
>
> *From:* William Drake [mailto:william.drake at uzh.ch <william.drake at uzh.ch>]
>
> *Sent:* Thursday, November 21, 2013 10:38 AM
> *To:* Governance; michael gurstein
> *Cc:* Suresh Ramasubramanian
> *Subject:* Re: [governance] Networkworld: ICANN Sets Up A Coalition to
> address new Internet governance challenges
>
> On Nov 21, 2013, at 2:27 AM, michael gurstein <gurstein at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Many are uneasy with this but if ICANN wishes to occupy that role (and
> given their privileged financial position as gatekeeper/rent extractor they
> are in a position to present themselves for this) then they have an
> interest in/responsibility for supporting the weakest link in that
> multi-stakeholder Internet ecology i.e. Civil Society.
>
> I can endorse the second lat of the sentence, and we have communicated
> this to Fadi and senior staff in some detail.  They say they get it.
>
> Bill
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-- 
*Marília Maciel*
Pesquisadora Gestora
Centro de Tecnologia e Sociedade - FGV Direito Rio

Researcher and Coordinator
Center for Technology & Society - FGV Law School
http://direitorio.fgv.br/cts

DiploFoundation associate
www.diplomacy.edu
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