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
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