December 2011 - ALAC - lists.icann.org

IMPORTANT: US Senate hearings on new gTLDs
by Evan Leibovitch Dec. 9, 2011

Dec. 9, 2011

Hello, I sent this first to the NARALO list because -- at least superficially -- this is a US domestic event. I copied it here because -- let's face it -- hearings about ICANN in the US government have potential consequences that go far beyond regional boundaries. If you have the time I think you'll find the video interesting. ------------------------- This morning, the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing on the ICANN new gTLD program. The web page describing the hearing, which includes a video of the entire 90-minute session, is at http://1.usa.gov/vzddPH I am told that it will soon be uploaded to the Committee's YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/SenateCommercePress Among the speakers are - Kurt Pritz, ICANN VP - Dan Jaffe of the Association of National Advertisers who is trying to block the new gTLD program - Fiona Alexander with the US NTIA - Angela Williams of the US YMCA (speaking after deliberation with ICANN's Non-Profit Organization Constituency) - Esther Dyson, former ICANN Board member (and ALAC member from the pre-RALO days when ALAC was all-appointed) It's VERY interesting listening. Kurt's message -- that adequate protections are in place in the program to deter large amounts of money spent on defensive registrations -- was not well received. In contrast, the committee heard about several instances -- in some cases by the Senators themselves -- who were the victims of cybersquatting and domain speculators. All other speakers were critical of the program and some were even asking if the US government has the authority to block the roll-out from happening in January as ICANN intends. Interesting note amongst the comments... many orgs have found themselves needing to buy defencive registrations in .XXX and are livid at the thought of having to do a bunch more for future TLDs. (For instance, Indiana University has purchased "hoosiers.xxx"). Of note to us.... much was made by Kurt of the consensus between stakeholders. Dan shot that down in relation to business users and Angela said the NPOC wasn't allowed to become a real stakeholder group in time to have an impact on decisions already made. Esther made mention at the end that the real constituency not yet heard from (at least by the Senators) was the billions of Internet end users. Mention was made that the committee now needs to hear from them. This sounds like an opportunity to me. Now... I don't know if one has to be a US citizen to testify; if not the ALAC Chair or vice chairs (of which I am one) would all be good candidates and in fact the international character of ALAC sends a useful message IMO. But if the requirement is to be a US resident, I have complete and utter faith that NARALO's own leadership includes people (Beau, Ganesh, Eduardo) who could easily step into the role and do the community proud. Further to this, I would like to raise the issue as an agenda item on Monday's NARALO call and I would like us to consider letting the Committee know that there is indeed a group within ICANN that exists to provide the voice of Internet end-users, Thank you. - Evan

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New GISWatch report 2011 published
by Wolf Ludwig Dec. 9, 2011

Dec. 9, 2011

Dear all, some of you may have noticed previous editions of the Global Information Society Watch (GISW) reports, annually published by APC, already. This year’s focus was on human rights and online freedoms what is also of interest for the At-Large and user community. Among the authors you can find some representatives of our community as well. Please spread the announcement in your regions – thanks. _____ New report on Internet and democracy is dedicated to the Arab revolutions THURSDAY DECEMBER 8 2011, Johannesburg (APC and Hivos) – Launching on December 10 - Human Rights Day-- the Global Information Society Watch 2011 report investigates how governments and internet and mobile phone companies are restricting freedom online - and how citizens are responding using the very same technologies. Everyone is familiar with the stories of Egypt and Tunisia. GISWatch authors tell these and other lesser-known stories from over fifty countries including: * PRISON CONDITIONS IN ARGENTINA Prisoners are using the internet protest living conditions and demand respect for their rights. * TORTURE IN INDONESIA The torture of two West Papuan farmers was recorded on a mobile phone and leaked to the internet. The video spread to well-known human rights sites sparking public outrage and a formal investigation by the authorities. * THE TSUNAMI IN JAPAN Citizens used social media to share actionable information during the devastating tsunami, and in the aftermath online discussions contradicted misleading reports coming from state authorities. Other countries include China, Iran, Lebanon and Pakistan. “Written by internationally-renowned experts, the report brings its readers easy-to-read and yet comprehensive articles, many with policy proposals, on the most important challenges protecting human rights on the internet is facing today,” says lawyer Matthias C. Kettemann, co-chair of the Internet Rights and Principles Coalition. “The report's country studies – which are in turn saddening, moving, uplifting – shed light on how the internet can truly be a catalyst for change – and how it can be misused.” In his preface to the report Frank La Rue, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression says “GISWatch 2011 offers timely commentary on the future of the internet as an open and shared platform that everyone has the right to access.” GISWatch 2011 also includes expert reports from: * Egyptian blogger Ramy Raoof on the the role of the internet in the wave of recent social resistance in North Africa * Alex Comninos on revolutions and cyber crackdowns in the Middle East and North Africa * Ron Deibert (Open Net Initiative) on cyberwarfare and counter-terrorism: implications for an open and free internet * Joe McNamee (EDRI) on internet intermediaries - the border control guards who get to monitor and censor your content simply because they host your information * Ben Wagner on Who profits from restricting speech? Global Information Society Watch 2011 Internet rights and democratisation - Focus on freedom of expression and association online Published by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) and Hivos The report is available online for download at www.giswatch.org from December 8. ____ Regards, Wolf EuroDIG Secretariat http://www.eurodig.org/ mobile +41 79 204 83 87 Skype: Wolf-Ludwig EURALO - ICANN's Regional At-Large Organisation http://euralo.org Profile on LinkedIn http://ch.linkedin.com/in/wolfludwig

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Re: [ALAC] IMPORTANT: US Senate hearings on new gTLDs
by Beau Brendler Dec. 8, 2011

Dec. 8, 2011

I'm not sure NARALO has ever taken aboard an agenda item suggested by EURALO, but I'm not territorial, consider it firmly placed on the agenda and consider yourself invited to speak on the topic (if you want to). The call is at 3 p.m. US EST on Monday. Beau -----Original Message----- >From: sandra hoferichter <info(a)hoferichter.eu> >Sent: Dec 8, 2011 4:32 PM >To: 'Evan Leibovitch' <evan(a)telly.org>, 'ICANN ALAC list' <alac(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org> >Subject: Re: [ALAC] IMPORTANT: US Senate hearings on new gTLDs > >Dear Evan, > >thank you for this first hand summary of the hearing. > >< Further to this, I would like to raise the issue as an agenda item on >Monday's NARALO call and I would like us to consider letting the Committee >know that there is indeed a group within ICANN that exists to provide the >voice of Internet end-users,> > >I think this should be done, raise the voice of ALAC in this discussion, IMO >the Chair and an American citizen could be an option. > >Best Sandra > >-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- >Von: alac-bounces(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org >[mailto:alac-bounces@atlarge-lists.icann.org] Im Auftrag von Evan Leibovitch >Gesendet: Donnerstag, 8. Dezember 2011 21:11 >An: ICANN ALAC list >Betreff: [ALAC] IMPORTANT: US Senate hearings on new gTLDs > >Hello, > >I sent this first to the NARALO list because -- at least superficially -- >this is a US domestic event. I copied it here because -- let's face it -- >hearings about ICANN in the US government have potential consequences that >go far beyond regional boundaries. If you have the time I think you'll find >the video interesting. > > >------------------------- > > >This morning, the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and >Transportation held a hearing on the ICANN new gTLD program. > >The web page describing the hearing, which includes a video of the entire >90-minute session, is at http://1.usa.gov/vzddPH >I am told that it will soon be uploaded to the Committee's YouTube channel >at http://www.youtube.com/user/SenateCommercePress > >Among the speakers are > > - Kurt Pritz, ICANN VP > - Dan Jaffe of the Association of National Advertisers who is trying to > block the new gTLD program > - Fiona Alexander with the US NTIA > - Angela Williams of the US YMCA (speaking after deliberation with > ICANN's Non-Profit Organization Constituency) > - Esther Dyson, former ICANN Board member (and ALAC member from the > pre-RALO days when ALAC was all-appointed) > >It's VERY interesting listening. Kurt's message -- that adequate >protections are in place in the program to deter large amounts of money >spent on defensive registrations -- was not well received. In contrast, the >committee heard about several instances -- in some cases by the Senators >themselves -- who were the victims of cybersquatting and domain >speculators. All other speakers were critical of the program and some were >even asking if the US government has the authority to block the roll-out >from happening in January as ICANN intends. > >Interesting note amongst the comments... many orgs have found themselves >needing to buy defencive registrations in .XXX and are livid at the thought >of having to do a bunch more for future TLDs. (For instance, Indiana >University has purchased "hoosiers.xxx"). > >Of note to us.... much was made by Kurt of the consensus between >stakeholders. Dan shot that down in relation to business users and Angela >said the NPOC wasn't allowed to become a real stakeholder group in time to >have an impact on decisions already made. Esther made mention at the end >that the real constituency not yet heard from (at least by the Senators) >was the billions of Internet end users. Mention was made that the committee >now needs to hear from them. > >This sounds like an opportunity to me. > >Now... I don't know if one has to be a US citizen to testify; if not the >ALAC Chair or vice chairs (of which I am one) would all be good candidates >and in fact the international character of ALAC sends a useful message IMO. >But if the requirement is to be a US resident, I have complete and utter >faith that NARALO's own leadership includes people (Beau, Ganesh, Eduardo) >who could easily step into the role and do the community proud. > >Further to this, I would like to raise the issue as an agenda item on >Monday's NARALO call and I would like us to consider letting the Committee >know that there is indeed a group within ICANN that exists to provide the >voice of Internet end-users, > >Thank you. > >- Evan >_______________________________________________ >ALAC mailing list >ALAC(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org >https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac > >At-Large Online: http://www.atlarge.icann.org >ALAC Working Wiki: >https://community.icann.org/display/atlarge/At-Large+Advisory+Committee+(ALA >C) > > >_______________________________________________ >ALAC mailing list >ALAC(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org >https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac > >At-Large Online: http://www.atlarge.icann.org >ALAC Working Wiki: https://community.icann.org/display/atlarge/At-Large+Advisory+Committee+(AL…

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