---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "Carlton Samuels" <carlton.samuels@gmail.com> To: patrick@vande-walle.eu Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 08:22:05 -0500 Subject: Re: [ALAC] Comments on ALAC review: Relationship with other ICANN entities In my view, it should be clearly enunciated that ALAC is the official conduit to ICANN Board of end user interests. We must clearly state what we mean by end users; the person who uses a device to access the internet via browser, non-human devices excepted. This is not to trespass on the freedom of other constituencies in ICANN to court end users for their own sectoral interests. Carlton Samuels On Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 7:59 AM, Patrick Vande Walle <patrick@vande-walle.eu>wrote:
I am tasked with coming up with a position on the relationship with other entities, and particularly, the fact that ALAC should or not be the only entity to represent individual internet users.
The summary is as follows. There is a clearly two perceptions. Comments welcome.
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1. ALAC should be the sole representative. If there are different groups, the voice of end users may actually be diluted, because these groups may not come up with similar positions. Further, the ALAC is the only end-user group in ICANN to be able to have positions on other issues than just gTLD policy. Finally, the process to elect ALAC members, though heavy and indirect, is real bottom-up.
2. There should be other groups representing users within the community. The rationale is that some users may not exactly fit in the ALAC mold. The suggestion is that the GNSO user house should have clearly identified groups (domain name registrants, end users, academia). There is a concern concerning the legitimacy of the representatives of these groups and it is not clear how they will be chosen. Further and due to the several levels of decision within the new GNSO, it is not clear if the voice of individuals will still be heard in this context.
On point 12, it has been several times reminded that real logistical issues that reduces the potential of ALAC to be more efficient in the policy development. It is noted that other SOs should take into account that the multilayer structure of ALAC slows down considerably the work.
Relationship with other ICANN entities
10. The ALAC is the appropriate organisational channel for the voice and concerns of the individual Internet user in ICANN processes
11. Since ALAC is the appropriate channel for the voice and concerns of the individual Internet user, it is inappropriate for other ICANN entities to attempt to claim to represent that individual user voice
12. Processes for providing advice on policy should be strengthened both within ALAC for the development of policy advice and within SOs for requesting input from ALAC on policy issues
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