Hi Adam Well, the information goes out. Unfortunately it doesn't go out in multiple languages in a timely fashion. However, some ALSes are doing exactly what you suggest (for example the one to which I belong, the TTCS, has a mailing list for ICANN activity, from which summaries are posted to the main list, as well as an ICANN issues page on their Wiki) - alfaredi also does similar activities, and I'm sure that others do. But you are correct - there are many that don't. The calls for participation that have been sent out are many, but the responses are few. The ALAC is looking at its subcommittees - we are looking at an ALS-support/outreach subcommittee to assist there, and the Secretariats are meeting in LA, so we can look at solutions to the lack of participation there. I do recall the comments, and they acted as a real spur to the finalization of the RALOs, and hence informed user participation in ICANN, but it is frustrating that it isn't happening. The ALS attraction rate is down, the list activity is often focused on regions getting their piece of the pie, whether in names on a committee or budget allocation to go to a meeting, and not on policy. ALAC members are not the At Large any more, we shouldn't singlehandedly write positions and send them in on behalf of the At Large (and we aren't - which leads to NOTHING submitted from At Large - see the GTLD issue), but the ALSes aren't stepping up enough to have proper user feedback on the policy issues. Maybe ALAC members could work to coax feedback on issues, drafting a first-steps paper or a questionnaire, I don't know if that would work either. Maybe we can have a brainstorming session with the Secretariats in LA to get some concrete proposals to increase participation in policy. This has to happen, otherwise the whole thing will be a failure. Jacqueline -----Original Message----- From: Adam Peake [mailto:ajp@glocom.ac.jp] Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2007 08:00 To: alac@atlarge-lists.icann.org Subject: [At-Large] ALAC / ALS - users and policy thinking about the At-Large Summit proposal, some recent discussion about rules and procedures, role of the NomCom, etc. (NomCom in many ways replaced the original concept of an At Large directly representing users in ICANN.) It's not clear to me what the ALS do. As an essential building block of the ALAC I think it's time the ALS and ALAC started supporting individual Internet users' informed participation in ICANN. There seem to be about 100 ALS, how many have a webpage devoted to informing users of ALAC activities and contributions to ICANN? How many even have a mailing list used to pass on information about ALAC and ICANN activities? (not many.) Example. About new gTLD policy Vittorio recently wrote: At 4:35 PM +0200 10/12/07, Vittorio Bertola wrote:
Hi, I don't want to sound rude, but I do have to post a call to order - if the members of the ALAC are so busy that they cannot devote any time to the single most important policy issue of the next few months, what do we have an ALAC for?
Perhaps it's just a matter of getting priorities right.
This "single most important policy issue of the next few months". Within the next couple of days how many ALS webpages or mailing lists will make information about this new working group available? I just took a look at a few ALS websites (quite a few don't seem to be functioning), hardly any make substantive mention of ICANN and ALAC let alone any policy information or discussion. A suggestion. Before the first ICANN meeting of 2008. (1.) Whenever ALAC is to provide input on an ICANN policy activity, ALAC delegates will ensure that a summary describing the policy activity, ALAC's intended input to it, and any questions ALAC would like users to address, is provided to ALS so they can make such information available to their members and ALAC community at large. (2.) All ALS will "Post on the Internet (on the ALAC's website or elsewhere) publicly-accessible, current information about the ALS's goals, structure, description of constituent group(s)/membership [including how to join the group], working mechanisms, leadership, and contact(s)." (3.) All ALS will "Commit to supporting individual Internet users' informed participation in ICANN by distributing to individual constituents/members information on relevant ICANN activities and issues, offering Internet-based mechanisms that enable discussions of one or more of these activities and issues among individual constituents/members, and involving individual constituents/members in relevant ICANN policy development, discussions and decisions." To this end all ALS will provide: A section on their website dedicated to information about the ALS (2 above) and ALAC and provide information about ALAC policy discussions and how users can contribute. The website must include a mechanism for receiving public comment on issues being discussed. ALS officers will ensure that public comment is summarized and provided to the ALAC. If the ALS is unable to create and operate a website then pages will be made available on the ALAC website or ALAC wiki. A mailing list where policy discussions can take place. The list will be open to any interested individual from their country/region. ALS officers will ensure that list discussion is summarized and provided to the ALAC. (4.) ALAC delegates will be responsible for ensuring comments from ALS are considered in the ALAC's response to any policy activity. A record of ALS contributions should be maintained on the ALAC website. (5.) ALS officers (including ALS officers who may also be ALAC delegates) will only eligible for financial support to attend ICANN meetings or regional RALO meetings, if their ALS meets the criteria provided in 1,2,3 above. I think it should be obvious why this is important. Reaction from the board and senior staff to the successful creation of the RALOs has been very positive. The ICANN Sao Paulo meeting was the first time I heard Vint Cerf talk about how he saw a possibility of the ALAC community, though the RALO structures, being able to provide direct representation to the Board. As someone who tried to maintain the At Large elections I thought this pretty significant. During a workshop in Lisbon NomCom <http://www.icann.org/meetings/lisbon/transcript-nomcom-28mar07.htm> this time quoting... VINT CERF: It occurs to me -- I can't predict this, of course, but it occurs to me that if we are successful with the rapidly forming RALO structure that some day we might imagine that board members might be appointed by those RALOs. We're not there yet. But is it possible that we can now go to the formed RALOs and say, in emulation of what might ultimately occur, can you supply recommendations for people to serve on the ALAC. (end Vint quote). At a meeting of the ALAC and board and Paul Twomey in San Juan, Vint again said the same thing again: ALAC via the RALO structures might select Directors. Paul agreed. Roberto (as Vice Chair) answered a question about how the board could see ALAC achieving direct such representation said it would have to see real bottom up policy development, users being consulted in policy and there being clear processes for that happening (I'm sure Roberto will correct me if I am misremembering/misinterpreting his comments.) It's frustrating that the ALAC/ALS seem to have done nothing to make this direct representation possible. I think we should start. Thanks, Adam _______________________________________________ ALAC mailing list ALAC@atlarge-lists.icann.org http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac_atlarge-lists.icann.org At-Large Official Site: http://www.alac.icann.org ALAC Independent: http://www.icannalac.org No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.8/1064 - Release Date: 10/11/2007 15:09 No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.8/1064 - Release Date: 10/11/2007 15:09