Hi, Speaking as liaison from NCSG, FWIW we think this is an enormously positive idea that would help move us all past a patch of mutual misunderstanding and toward expanded cooperation going forward. As a first step, we're looking forward to the consumer agenda workshop tomorrow. Best, Bill On Jun 21, 2010, at 2:38 PM, Evan Leibovitch wrote:
The following is a proposal that I wish to make to the ALAC/At-Large workshops tomorrow.
I am speaking as an individual; what follows has not been endorsed by NARALO or any other body, though it has been floated by some people whose help would be critical to its success and they have supported it.
I PROPOSE that:
1) ALAC create a standing and permanent Working Group on Consumer Issues
2) Beau Brendler and Rosemary Sinclair be appointed interim Chairs, pending internal governance to be determined by the WG;
3) That ALAC engage immediately, with assistance from support staff, to encourage consumer associations and advocacy organizations around the world to join as ALSs and become part of this Working Group;
Rationale: the current status of consumer advocacy and consumer groups within ICANN is in limbo and has been for some time. There is no clear indication that current attempts to create a consumer constituency within GNSO will be successful, yet this move has created an undesired level of infighting and difficulty with other constituencies.
If the At-Large Improvements committee succeeds in its proposals, At-Large will be defined as *the* forum for Internet users who are not necessarily part of ICANN financial transactions. In this context, I submit that consumer interests are simply a subset of the public interest and has a logical place within At-Large. Furthermore, the ALS mechanism allows us to verify the bonafides of legitimate consumer organizations.
I believe that accommodation of consumer interest groups can help drive At-Large interests, without requiring any changes to At-Large's structure. Indeed, our ALS/RALO/ALAC architecture is well suited to such activity. And thanks to the existing work done on attracting consumer involvement, quite a few potential paricipants have already been identified.
I look forward to a discussion and hope to receive ALAC's support on this matter,
- Evan _______________________________________________ ALAC mailing list ALAC@atlarge-lists.icann.org http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac_atlarge-lists.icann.org
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*********************************************************** William J. Drake Senior Associate Centre for International Governance Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies Geneva, Switzerland william.drake@graduateinstitute.ch www.graduateinstitute.ch/cig/drake.html www.linkedin.com/in/williamjdrake ***********************************************************