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

Suresh Ramasubramanian suresh at hserus.net
Fri Nov 22 18:29:29 EST 2013 

+1

I see some of the most heated criticism of ICANN here from people who refuse to participate in it, and who have never attended a single ICANN meeting, submitted a single proposal through ICANN.

ICANN has enough critics from inside that seek to work with its process. Milton for example who has been oddly silent over the past several months on this list - and who I have had my differences with almost as often as I have found myself agreeing with him.

--srs (iPad)

> On 23-Nov-2013, at 1:17, Marilia Maciel <mariliamaciel at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 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] 
>>> 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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>> 
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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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