Dear ALAC Colleagues,

I hope this message finds you well. As the ALAC Liaison to the GAC, I am pleased to share with you a summary report highlighting key GAC discussions and outcomes from the recent ICANN79 meeting, as below. Your feedback and insights are as always most appreciated.

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The ICANN79 meeting took place from March 2 to March 7, 2024, and comprised various sessions significant to the interests of the end-user community. The GAC held successful meetings with the Board, Address Supporting Organization (ASO), Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), Contracted Parties House (CPH), Nominating Committee (NomCom), and Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG). These sessions covered a wide array of topics, reflecting the diverse interests and responsibilities within the ICANN community.

The designated GAC and ALAC bilateral meeting, held on March 3, 2024, featured interventions from both committees, including Rosalind Kennybirch and Tracy Hackshaw from the GAC, and Greg Shatan and Justine Chew from the ALAC. During the meeting discussed various topics, particularly focusing on the Applicant Support Program (ASP) for the New gTLD Program, with following key takeaways:

Discussions centered around revisiting challenges from the 2012 Round of the New gTLD Program and addressing them through different components of the ASP. Key points included an overview of the ASP, insights into ALAC and GAC perspectives, and elaboration on pending components such as SubPro Supplemental Recommendation 17.2. The session aimed to provide clarity on the rationale behind the ASP, address challenges for the next round, and propose holistic approaches to its implementation.
Overall, the meeting underscored collaborative efforts between the GAC and ALAC in shaping the ASP for the next round of the New gTLD Program. Additional discussions covered topics such as program communications, funding, and structure, reflecting a commitment to addressing key issues for the successful implementation of the ASP.
The session highlighted the importance of stakeholder collaboration and proactive measures in enhancing the effectiveness of the ASP, ultimately contributing to the advancement of the domain name ecosystem within the ICANN community.
You can find more details about the session here: https://gac.icann.org/sessions/icann79-session-7-gac-meeting-with-the-alac

On March 11^th, as a reflection of their ICANN79 meeting considerations, the GAC published its usual communique, available here: https://gac.icann.org/contentMigrated/icann79-san-juan-communique with following key items for the consideration of the At-Large community:

The meeting saw significant attendance with 71 GAC Members and 9 Observers present. The GAC commenced by honoring former Chair Manal Ismail with the 2024 ICANN Community Excellence Award for her long-standing service and commitment to the multistakeholder model.
The GAC also underwent leadership changes with Nicolas Caballero assuming the role of Chair along with Vice Chairs WANG Lang, Thiago Dal-Toe, Christine Arida, and Zeina Bou Harb. Additionally, new appointments and departures were noted in various working groups, emphasizing ongoing efforts in areas such as public safety and underserved regions.
Capacity development workshops covered a broad spectrum of issues including ccTLD management, IPv6 adoption, and regional internet registry roles. These workshops provided insights and recommendations, highlighting the need for continued capacity building, particularly in developing countries.
Strategic planning discussions focused on priority areas for the GAC's strategic objectives, while preparations for the upcoming High-Level Government Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, emphasized the significance of such gatherings in reinforcing multistakeholder cooperation.
An experimental open-mic session allowed for broader engagement within the ICANN community, providing a platform for stakeholders to address the GAC directly. Topics such as DNS abuse, cost-benefit analysis of new gTLD programs, and registry voluntary commitments were extensively deliberated.
Regarding DNS abuse, the GAC welcomed new obligations for contracted parties and emphasized the importance of effective enforcement and reporting mechanisms. Discussions also revolved around the need for a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of new gTLD programs and the enforceability of registry commitments, underscoring the necessity for careful legal analysis.
With regard to registration data, the GAC reiterated support for initiatives such as the Registration Data Request Service (RDRS) and emphasized the importance of accuracy in registration data for various legitimate interests while balancing privacy concerns.

Points of Interest for the At-Large:

- Further steps on applicant support were discussed, emphasizing collaboration between GAC and ALAC.

- Addressing DNS abuse and enhancing capacity building outreach remained crucial areas of focus.

Thank you for your kind consideration.

Kind regards,

Joanna Kulesza

Director / Lodz Cyber Hub

Assistant Professor / Department of Public International Law and International Relations / Faculty of Law and Administration / University of Lodz

Kopcinskiego 8/12 room 3.61, 90-232 Lodz, Poland

e-mail: LCH@wpia.uni.lodz.pl

website: https://www.cyber.uni.lodz.pl

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lodz-cyber-hub/

Recent Publications:

Akçalı Gür, B. & Kulesza, J., & Equitable access to satellite broadband services: Challenges and opportunities for developing countries, Telecommunications Policy, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2024.102731.
Kulesza, J., & Burdiak, P., "Countering Disinformation on Social Media Platforms: Developments in the EU and Poland," Mediaforum: Analytics, Forecasts, Information Management, 2024.
Kulesza, J., "Human Rights and Social Media: Challenges and Opportunities for Human Rights Education," in Polarization, Shifting Borders and Liquid Governance, edited by Anja Mihr and Chiara Pierobon, Springer 2023.

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