February 2011 - At-Large - lists.icann.org

Re: [At-Large] Impressions from the Whois-Review
by Beau Brendler Feb. 3, 2011

Feb. 3, 2011

It also concerns me when I see labels used like "law and order" in conjunction with statements made that the at-large leans toward the "law and order" side...which is somehow in opposition to the "privacy" side? We are not going to find middle ground with that world view. I have used "law and order" to characterize my perspective, coming as I do from a decade writing about Internet crime -- but it can't just be assumed that I'm "anti-privacy." I can't think of any consumer organization or advocate in the world who could be characterized as being against privacy protection. Most of the time, though, privacy dialog at the consumer advocacy level doesn't penetrate to WHOIS, but is more about behavior of corporate marketers and data aggregators, poor standards for breach notification, etc. -----Original Message----- >From: "John R. Levine" <johnl(a)iecc.com> >Sent: Feb 2, 2011 3:11 PM >To: At-Large Worldwide <at-large(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org> >Subject: Re: [At-Large] Impressions from the Whois-Review > >> I cannot accept that there cannot be a balance between the right to privacy >> and the right to know for those harmed by an act traceable to a domain. > >There certainly should be a balance. But when there are a billion >Internet users, and thousands of individual vanity domain registrants, it >is silly to argue that the two interests are of the same weight and also >to argue, as many have over the past decade, that vanity registrants must >not be put to any extra or effort at all if they don't want to be treated >the same as the businesses and organizations that register the vast >majority of domains. > >I also have to say that it is not helpful when people make claims, as >we've seen recently, that WHOIS is useless for tracking miscreants, which >is false, or that it's only used to research trivial misbehavior, which is >equally false. It is also unhelpful when people refuse to recognize the >scale of the modern Internet, in which web hosts routinely turn down >thousands of domains every day for anti-social behavior. The real >surprise is that they don't make more mistakes than they do. > >All of my own domains have accurate WHOIS info. I use a post office box >to receive my mail, so they don't show my home address, which I don't >think is an unreasonable burden. > >Regards, >John Levine, johnl(a)iecc.com, Primary Perpetrator of "The Internet for Dummies", >Please consider the environment before reading this e-mail. http://jl.ly >_______________________________________________ >At-Large mailing list >At-Large(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org >https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/at-large > >At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org

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U.S. seizure of .ORG domain name
by Adam Peake Feb. 2, 2011

Feb. 2, 2011

I propose the At Large/ALAC protest the U.S. government's seizure of domain name Rojadirecta.org. Rojadirecta is a popular sports streaming and P2P download site. Rojadirecta is a legitimate Spanish business. Two Spanish courts have ruled the site operates legally. It seems the U.S. Government Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division used the TLD as the means of seizure in an attempt to take down the site. If the action was against the registrar then a registrant would at least have a choice of jurisdiction. But this action on ORG, and the actions on .COM names last November essentially means the U.S. government considers COM, NET and ORG to be nothing more than ccTLDs subject to U.S. whim (this isn't a legal action, there has been no court case, no due process.) Rojadirecta is now available under other TLDs <http://www.rojadirecta.me> <http://www.rojadirecta.es> <http://www.rojadirecta.in> as well its original IP address <http://109.235.53.189/>. Expect there will be a lot written about this, this article's ok as a starting point: <http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110201/10252412910/homeland-security-sei…> I hope At Large will issue a statement protesting the use of the TLD registry as a means of takedown. That it recommends when the NET, ORG and COM contracts are renegotiated they should move to a jurisdiction where such unilateral action by a government is not possible. That the new applicant guidebook require applicants to only locate in jurisdictions where such unilateral action by a government is not possible. Legitimate businesses should not be subject to the whim of a U.S. agency. Adam

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Proposed statement of the ALAC regarding the current situation in Egypt
by Olivier MJ Crepin-Leblond Feb. 2, 2011

Feb. 2, 2011

Dear all, sustained discussions have recently taken place on one of the RALO lists, whether the ALAC should comment on the current political situation in Egypt, focussing in particular on the suspension of Internet service in the country. I have personally monitored the discussion and members of the ALAC ExCom have held daily discussions about the matter. I have also discussed the possibility of a statement with other constituency Chairs and some Board members. Rod Beckstrom has published a Blog post on: http://blog.icann.org/2011/01/status-report-on-the-dns-in-egypt/ He has steered away from making any kind of political statement, and I suspect that this was for a reason. Egypt's GAC representative is Ms. Manal Ismail. She works for the Telecom Regulation Authority (TRA) - but their Internet is cut too. The ccNSO representative is EGregistry.eg - and they are cut from the Internet as well. The ICANN manager for relations in the Middle East, Mr. Baher Esmat, is also based in Cairo - and he's also off-line. Many more participants in ICANN Supporting Organisations and Advisory Committees, including ICANN fellows are also based in Egypt. I have managed to speak to a couple of my own friends in Cairo. They explained that, like all Egyptians, they are worried about the security situation, their own personal security included. This is particularly important. Whilst I understand that the current action by Egypt breaks ICANN's Core Value #1, it is my firm view that any statement might bring more harm that good to ICANN and its friends at the present moment, if it is not crafted with caution. This is a complex political situation which surpasses ICANN's sphere of influence, and I should seriously recommend that ALAC keeps a low profile about this because of the political implications for our friends on the ground. That said, the Internet Society has released a Q&A document focussing primarily on the technical implications of the shut-down of Internet services in Egypt. It is very useful, and I propose that for the time being, we support this Q&A and point our members to it. I am therefore asking the ALAC to endorse the following statement in an accelerated vote and procedure: --- cut here --- Statement of the ALAC regarding current situation in Egypt The ALAC is concerned by the impact of developments in Egypt on the ordinary Internet user. In the light of ICANN's responsibility for IP address and AS number policy, and its core value of 'preserving and enhancing the operational stability, reliability, security, and global interoperability of the Internet', we endorse the ISOC statement and Q&A as expressed at http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?p=3100 Signed: The At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) --- cut here --- I hope that this will receive support and in this case, Heidi will swiftly follow-up with regards to voting procedures. In the meantime, and until the situation on the ground gets resolved, we wish all the Best to our Egyptian friends in this time of troubled politics in their country. Best regards, Olivier Crepin-Leblond ALAC Chair

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Global transition to the next generation of Internet addresses- Announcement on 3 February 2011
by Cintra Sooknanan Feb. 2, 2011

Feb. 2, 2011

Dear All, I don't know how many of you may have got this notification--- Significant Announcement on Thursday 3 February – Watch it live! On Thursday, 3 February 2011, at 9:30 AM Eastern Standard Time (14.30 UTC) the Number Resource Organization (NRO), along with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the Internet Society (ISOC) and the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) will be holding a ceremony and press conference to make a significant announcement and to discuss the global transition to the next generation of Internet addresses. Much has been written in the international media over the last few weeks about the dwindling pool of Internet addresses using the original Internet protocol, called IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4), and this topic will be addressed at the event. We invite all interested community members to view the webcast of this event at: http://www.nro.net/news/icann-nro-live-stream In the event you happen to be at the Intercontinental Hotel in Miami on Thursday, there will be limited public seating available to attend (with press receiving seating priority) in Room “Concourse II” at 9:30 AM EST for the ceremony and 10:00 AM for press conference which follows. Regards Cintra Sooknanan

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Re: [At-Large] RES: Proposed statement of the ALAC regarding the current situation in Egypt
by Cintra Sooknanan Feb. 2, 2011

Feb. 2, 2011

Dear Olivier, Your draft is a good start but I agree with Avri and Eric's statement. Perhaps we can incorporate a paragraph that addresses the lacuna created on the Internet by the Egyptian Government's actions and highlights that such actions not only create network instability and go against human rights, but primarily hurt the Egyptian economy and the World's confidence in the Interim Government. Regards Cintra Sooknanan On Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 1:01 AM, Adam Peake <ajp(a)glocom.ac.jp> wrote: > >On 1 Feb 2011, at 20:12, Vanda UOL wrote: > > > >> I can endorse it. More than this is out of the ICANN´s scope. > > > >While I endorsed the statement, I do not believe > >that more is out of ICANN's scope, though I > >understand it is out of some people's comfort > >zone > > > >It may be politically difficult for some, and it > >may be contrary to the political aims of others, > >but responding to this sort of attack on the > >Internet is what ICANN's scope as a steward is > >all about. ICANN should not remain silent on > >the issue of kill switches that render the > >network unstable. ICANN should not just bury > >its head when national actions cause properly > >assigned addresses and ASs to become unreachable > >because of political action, no matter who > >throws the switch or why. Whether it is Egypt's > >action last week, or US legislation later this > >year, rendering parts of the network > >inaccessible is something that ICANN cannot > >allow to happen while standing silently and idly > >by. > > > Avri, > > I think I agree with you. > > Anyway, a question from technical ignorance (as > usual :-)). Are there technical implications for > the rest of the Internet to causing ASs to become > unreachable? The ISOC note covers some issues, > but from ICANN/IANA perspective is this a bad > thing. If yes, ICANN should comment, as should > ALAC > > In new TLD discussions around "offensive strings" > often hear comments suggesting governments that > don't like a tld could simply block it. I had > heard, and this is really my question, that while > blocking a TLD (cc or g) now has no technical > impact on the global Internet, once all TLDs are > DNSSEC signed such blocking might cause problems. > I do not know the nature of the problems, > significant or not (or even if real, I may have > just misunderstood something). If there are > technical implications now to actions such as > Egypt's, or will be in the new future when tlds > are DNSSEC signed, then it's within ICANN's scope. > > Clarification/correction appreciated! > > Thanks, > > Adam > > > > >a. > > > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > >At-Large mailing list > >At-Large(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org > >https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/at-large > > > >At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org > > > _______________________________________________ > At-Large mailing list > At-Large(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org > https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/at-large > > At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org >

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Re: [At-Large] Proposed statement of the ALAC regarding the current situation in Egypt
by Beau Brendler Feb. 1, 2011

Feb. 1, 2011

Sergio and colleagues, You address the possibility of making an open statement. In the NA RALO, there has been a lot of discussion about the situation, as Olivier notes. Many of us in the NA RALO, myself included, have already voiced support for the course of action and statement proposed by Olivier. However, within NA RALO, Eric Brunner-Williams has written an open statement. It goes further than Olivier's, is very well thought-out and written in my opinion, and has a largely technical rather than political focus. I offer it here for review for those who might want to sign or are developing a separate statement independent of the ALAC action, or other possible uses. === Text begins === Dear Chairman Dengate-Thrush and CEO Beckstrom, Concerning the Egyptian Internet shutdown, as volunteers participating in the North American At Large Regional Organization who have studied network policy, we the undersigned believe you have a chance to move beyond rhetoric to support the security and stability of the Internet. As contributors to the ICANN community, we expect our Chairperson and CEO to uphold those values. As the IESG and the IAB observed in draft-iab-raven, published as RFC 2804, accommodating the legal intercept requirements of states in network devices would make the system less secure, increase system complexity, and the risk of unintended security failure. The considered technical judgment was, and remains, that wiretapping, even when it is not being exercised, lowers the security of the system. We believe this concern applies also to accommodating endpoint unreachable requirements of states in systems of network devices, as well as flow filter and other disruptive technology requirements. We are also concerned by the possibility of error by national actors attempting to interrupt regional routing. The routing alternatives to the Alexandria - Suez corridor are simply inadequate to support the requirements for Europe - Asia data communications. In addition to these systemic concerns, the proper concern of the entity tasked with the technical coordination of unique endpoint identifiers, we have the following further concerns. Articles 12 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, pertaining to privacy and freedom of expression, appear to be the specific targets of intentional violation by the Egyptian government. This should not pass without comment. Significant regional economic activity relies upon the availability of CityNet (Ramadan City), ECC (6 October City), EgyptNetwork (Mansura), and ECC, MEIX, LINKdotNET (Cairo) data centers. The direct economic loss due to governmental action is easy to calculate. The greater loss of the reputation and competitive ability of these data centers, and their operators is harder to calculate, and likely to be much greater than N zero revenue days. However, the economic consequence of abruptly transforming Egypt to a sparse 56kb and VSAT connectivity regime extends far beyond the data centers and access providers. It is profoundly disruptive of the information economy, and of ordinary transaction services. It will result in diminished stability and certainty of commodity prices and availablities. It will raise the price of bread. It will cause hardship, impoverishment, increased morbidity, and mortality, far beyond the social identities of "authority" and "counter-authority". These concerns are not unique to the withdrawal of prefixes at 16:00 UTC on January 27, and 09:00 UTC on January 28 -- the "Egyptian Disconnection". Opportunistic and endemic network partition, rate limiting, and filtering are practiced by some governments. The practices which directly reduce the security and stability of the Internet must not be allowed to pass without comment because they are perpetrated by governments. Sincerely, the undersigned === Text ends === -----Original Message----- >From: presidencia Internauta Argentina <presidencia(a)internauta.org.ar> >Sent: Feb 1, 2011 10:31 AM >To: at-large(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org >Subject: Re: [At-Large] Proposed statement of the ALAC regarding the current situation in Egypt > >Dear Olivier and all: >I support this note. Could we make an open statement with the >participation of all ALSes? >also I think we can be alert for future events >Regards > >*Sergio Salinas Porto Presidente Internauta Argentina Asociación >Argentina de Usuarios de Internet <http://www.internauta.org.ar>FLUI- >Federación Latinoamericana de Usuarios de Internet ><http://www.fuilain.org>facebook:salinasporto twitter:sergiosalinas >MSN/MSN YAHOO/Talk: salinasporto... Skype:internautaargentina Mobi:+54 9 >223 5 215819 * > > >El 01/02/2011 11:24 a.m., Olivier MJ Crepin-Leblond escribió: >> Dear all, >> >> sustained discussions have recently taken place on one of the RALO >> lists, whether the ALAC should comment on the current political >> situation in Egypt, focussing in particular on the suspension of >> Internet service in the country. I have personally monitored the >> discussion and members of the ALAC ExCom have held daily discussions >> about the matter. I have also discussed the possibility of a statement >> with other constituency Chairs and some Board members. >> Rod Beckstrom has published a Blog post on: >> http://blog.icann.org/2011/01/status-report-on-the-dns-in-egypt/ >> He has steered away from making any kind of political statement, and I >> suspect that this was for a reason. >> >> Egypt's GAC representative is Ms. Manal Ismail. She works for the >> Telecom Regulation Authority (TRA) - but their Internet is cut too. >> The ccNSO representative is EGregistry.eg - and they are cut from the >> Internet as well. >> The ICANN manager for relations in the Middle East, Mr. Baher Esmat, is >> also based in Cairo - and he's also off-line. >> Many more participants in ICANN Supporting Organisations and Advisory >> Committees, including ICANN fellows are also based in Egypt. >> >> I have managed to speak to a couple of my own friends in Cairo. They >> explained that, like all Egyptians, they are worried about the security >> situation, their own personal security included. This is particularly >> important. >> >> Whilst I understand that the current action by Egypt breaks ICANN's Core >> Value #1, it is my firm view that any statement might bring more harm >> that good to ICANN and its friends at the present moment, if it is not >> crafted with caution. This is a complex political situation which >> surpasses ICANN's sphere of influence, and I should seriously recommend >> that ALAC keeps a low profile about this because of the political >> implications for our friends on the ground. >> >> That said, the Internet Society has released a Q&A document focussing >> primarily on the technical implications of the shut-down of Internet >> services in Egypt. It is very useful, and I propose that for the time >> being, we support this Q&A and point our members to it. >> >> I am therefore asking the ALAC to endorse the following statement in an >> accelerated vote and procedure: >> >> --- cut here --- >> >> Statement of the ALAC regarding current situation in Egypt >> >> The ALAC is concerned by the impact of developments in Egypt on the >> ordinary Internet user. In the light of ICANN's responsibility for IP >> address and AS number policy, and its core value of 'preserving and >> enhancing the operational stability, reliability, security, and global >> interoperability of the Internet', we endorse the ISOC statement and Q&A >> as expressed at http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?p=3100 >> >> Signed: The At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) >> >> --- cut here --- >> >> I hope that this will receive support and in this case, Heidi will >> swiftly follow-up with regards to voting procedures. >> >> In the meantime, and until the situation on the ground gets resolved, we >> wish all the Best to our Egyptian friends in this time of troubled >> politics in their country. >> >> Best regards, >> >> Olivier Crepin-Leblond >> ALAC Chair >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> At-Large mailing list >> At-Large(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org >> https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/at-large >> >> At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org

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Re: [At-Large] Proposed statement of the ALAC regarding the current situation in Egypt
by Hakikur Rahman Feb. 1, 2011

Feb. 1, 2011

I support the note. At 03:12 PM 2/1/2011, Andrés Piazza wrote: >+ 1 > >2011/2/1 Avri Doria <avri(a)acm.org> > > > I support this note. > > I hope the ALAC approves it. > > > > thanks > > > > a. > > > > On 1 Feb 2011, at 09:24, Olivier MJ Crepin-Leblond wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > Statement of the ALAC regarding current situation in Egypt > > > > > > The ALAC is concerned by the impact of developments in Egypt on the > > > ordinary Internet user. In the light of ICANN's responsibility for IP > > > address and AS number policy, and its core value of 'preserving and > > > enhancing the operational stability, reliability, security, and global > > > interoperability of the Internet', we endorse the ISOC statement and Q&A > > > as expressed at http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?p=3100 > > > > > > Signed: The At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > At-Large mailing list > > At-Large(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org > > https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/at-large > > > > At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org > > > > > >-- >*Andrés Piazza* >www.andrespiazza.com >_______________________________________________ >At-Large mailing list >At-Large(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org >https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/at-large > >At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org

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Re: [At-Large] Proposed statement of the ALAC regarding the current situation in Egypt
by Beau Brendler Feb. 1, 2011

Feb. 1, 2011

+1 -----Original Message----- >From: Andrés Piazza <andrespiazza(a)gmail.com> >Sent: Feb 1, 2011 10:12 AM >To: At-Large Worldwide <at-large(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org> >Subject: Re: [At-Large] Proposed statement of the ALAC regarding the current situation in Egypt > >+ 1 > >2011/2/1 Avri Doria <avri(a)acm.org> > >> I support this note. >> I hope the ALAC approves it. >> >> thanks >> >> a. >> >> On 1 Feb 2011, at 09:24, Olivier MJ Crepin-Leblond wrote: >> >> > >> > >> > Statement of the ALAC regarding current situation in Egypt >> > >> > The ALAC is concerned by the impact of developments in Egypt on the >> > ordinary Internet user. In the light of ICANN's responsibility for IP >> > address and AS number policy, and its core value of 'preserving and >> > enhancing the operational stability, reliability, security, and global >> > interoperability of the Internet', we endorse the ISOC statement and Q&A >> > as expressed at http://isoc.org/wp/newsletter/?p=3100 >> > >> > Signed: The At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) >> > >> >> _______________________________________________ >> At-Large mailing list >> At-Large(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org >> https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/at-large >> >> At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org >> > > > >-- >*Andrés Piazza* >www.andrespiazza.com >_______________________________________________ >At-Large mailing list >At-Large(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org >https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/at-large > >At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org

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At-Large, ALAC, Freedom of Expression and ICANN's core values.
by Avri Doria Feb. 1, 2011

Feb. 1, 2011

Hi, There has been a conversation ongoing on the NARALO list that seems to me to belong on this list. Some of that list, me among them, felt is was important tome someone [NARALO, ALAC, ICANN] make a statement similar to one made by ISOC on the problem with the continuing action of the Egyptian government related to its shutting off of access to the Internet. An action that continues from day to day while we remain silent. Some on that list felt it was none of our business and out of ICANN's scope. Others, me among them, argued that it was in scope, given ICANN responsibility for IP and AS numbers and core value #1. > "Preserving and enhancing the operational stability, reliability, security, and global interoperability of the Internet." and that besides it was contrary to Human Rights most of our countries have agreed to in binding covenants: > International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights > http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm > > 19.2 > > Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice. Others felt that it wasn't proper for a bunch of North Americans to bring up such things given our awful reputation. And especially for US citizens to do so, given that we have congress representatives who want to create an Internet Kill Switch, seemed hypocritical. Others argued that our government's drive to create a kill switch was indeed a reason for us from the US to speak up and do something before everybody was cutting off the internet every time there was a protest against the established government. Finally, it was said that such an effort should be lead by AFRALO and since no other RALO seemed to be discussing this, we should just let it go. Or maybe send a note to someone at some point. It was certainly _not_ for me to send such a note to anyone, but as far as I could tell, there wasn't any rule against my doing so. Hence, this note. I am still in my first year as an ALS member and a participant in At-Large so I guess I should ask: Does At-large think this issue is out of scope for ICANN? for ALAC? a.

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