Hello All, Just a further update on my conflict of interest statement below. I ceased to chair or be a member of the Verisign SiteFinder Technical Review Panel last week. As far as I know, the work of the panel was completed last week. Regards, Bruce
-----Original Message----- From: Bruce Tonkin Sent: Thursday, 2 October 2003 1:58 PM To: council@gnso.icann.org Subject: [council] Update on Declaration of conflict of interest
Hello All,
I need to update my conflict of interest statement below.
In my role as Chief Technology Officer of Melbourne IT, I have requested that Verisign voluntarily suspend the Sitefinder service and participate in the various review processes now underway.
Melbourne IT voted in favour of a motion in the registrars constituency (see: http://www.icann.org/correspondence/broitman-to-twomey-01oct03.htm) concerning the Sitefinder service, supports the request from ICANN for Verisign to voluntarily suspend the service (http://www.icann.org/announcements/advisory-19sep03.htm), supports the recommendations of ICANN's Security and Stability Committee (http://www.icann.org/correspondence/secsac-to-board-22sep03.h tm), and supports the GNSO resolution passed at the last Council meeting (consistent with Registrar interests) (http://gnso.icann.org/mailing-lists/archives/council/msg00136.html).
As a result of my request of Verisign to consider carefully the issues raised by the ICANN community, Verisign asked me to chair a group of internal Verisign technical staff and external people to collate and address each of the issues that have been raised by the community. I am doing this as I believe that it is important to work with all parties on this issue. I don't hold myself out to be a technical expert on the subject of wildcards, but I hope I can help with processes to address technical issues as they are raised. I am receiving no compensation (nor would I accept any compensation), nor is Melbourne IT receiving any compensation for this role. The details of this group can be found here: http://www.verisign.com/nds/naming/sitefinder/trp.html Verisign will take its own actions in response to any advice it receives.
It is still both Melbourne IT's and my personal opinion that Verisign should show good faith and voluntarily suspend the service while the issues are analysed.
At a personal level, if I am ever publicly critical of how things have been done by an individual or organisation, I also accept an obligation to attempt to work in good faith with the entity to correct the problem.
I have heard from members of the community that I may have compromised the GNSO in my actions, and that is not my intent. I apologise to the GNSO Council if that is the result.
To avoid any conflicts of interest with the GNSO I will not chair any discussion on the Sitefinder service, but I will support any recommendation of the GNSO on this matter.
If it is the wish of the GNSO Council, I am also happy to resign as chair if the GNSO believes that the conflict of interest is too severe.
My current term as GNSO chair expires at the end of the ICANN annual meeting in Carthage Tunisia, at which time the constituencies will need to appoint their new members, and the new council will need to formally elect a chair of the GNSO.
Regards, Bruce Tonkin Registrars Representative on the GNSO Council
-----Original Message----- From: Bruce Tonkin Sent: Thursday, 25 September 2003 9:58 AM To: council@gnso.icann.org Subject: [council] Declaration of conflict of interest regarding agenda item 4
Hello All,
Agenda item 4 of the GNSO Council meeting relates to a discussion of Verisign's introduction of wildcard entries into the .com and .net zones.
I would like to declare the following potential conflicts of interest. I am an employee of Melbourne IT.
Melbourne IT is a customer of Verisign, and Melbourne IT has directly communicated with Verisign over this issue.
Melbourne IT is a supplier to Microsoft of domain name services. Microsoft currently benefits from a feature in their browsers that can direct users to a MSN search page when a domain name is not found in the DNS. In some cases users may be offered the chance to register domain names. Melbourne IT has not been approached by Microsoft to advocate any position on this matter, and I have seen no public response from Microsoft on this matter.
Melbourne IT is a supplier to Yahoo of domain name services. It has been reported that Yahoo has an interest in that it is in the process of acquiring Overture (which manages paid/sponsored search listings), and owns Inktomi (which provides search listing for the Verisign service). I don't know how this may affect Melbourne IT with respect to domain name services. Melbourne IT has not been approached by Yahoo to advocate any position on this matter, and I have seen no public response from Yahoo on this matter.
While I believe that my views are independent of any of the potential conflicts of interests above and that I act in the best interests of ICANN whilst acting in my capacity as chair of the GNSO, I want to ensure that I am not seen to bias any discussion on this topic as chair of the GNSO.
As has been my practice in the past on issues where I have a potential conflict of interest, I have asked Philip Sheppard as the immediate past chair of the Names Council, to chair the discussion on agenda item 4. I have also invited the ICANN General Counsel (John Jeffrey), the Chair of the Security and Stability Advisory Committee (Steve Crocker), and a representative from Verisign (Chuck Gomes) to be available to answer any questions of a factual nature.
Regards, Bruce Tonkin