After today’s CPWG call, Avri and I were talking, and we were both inspired to review and update our ALAC SOIs. Just a friendly reminder to those of us who participate in the GNSO, that the ALAC SOI is separate and distinct from your GNSO SOI. While I regularly update my GNSO SOI, I was surprised to find my ALAC SOI blank, as I genuinely recall completing it when I joined NARALO. However, in the interest of openness and transparency, I have now updated and published (that may have been the previous snafu) my ALAC SOI, see https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/atlarge/pages/99734312/Michael+D.+Palage+SOI

While I still believe the revision to the SOI process is inherently gameable, it is an improvement, and we should all embrace it and put it into practice.

During last week’s Contracting Party Summit in Manchester, on the panel I moderated, I made a point of listing each panelist’s SOI; see screenshot below.

During the last several CPWG calls, I was unable to find SOIs for several participants. I think it would be good for ALAC leadership not only to ask for SOI updates at the beginning of calls, but also to remind ALAC community members to regularly update their SOIs. I think ALAC should set the bar high and lead by example within the ICANN community.

On this issue of SOI compliance, please see the email communication that I sent to ICANN’ Board Chair and General Counsel in March regarding ICANN increasing openness and transparency in connection with the army of contractors, consultants, and lobbyists it employs. Sadly, I have not heard back from any recipient, although, to be fair, things have been a little hectic with the launch of the new gTLD window.

I would really like to hear the view from ALAC about whether ICANN should have an obligation to publicly disclose their growing army of contractors, consultants and lobbyists in the letter and spirit of the SOI modifications? Two phrases keep reverberating in my mind: 1) Practice what you preach and 2) What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

Just because these contractors, consultants, and lobbyists may not be actively participating in a policy work group does not mean that they are not impacting ICANN policy in the hallways of ICANN meetings or in other fora.

From: Michael Palage
Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 3:36 PM
To: John Jeffrey ; Fiona Alexander; Tripti Sinha
Subject: ICANN Contractors and SOI Requirements

I am doing research in connection with an upcoming article on ICANN’s updated Statement of Interest policy. And I had some questions I was hoping that you all might be able to answer.

I believe the current SOI policy applies to ALL participants in the ICANN community, including ICANN contractors. Upon information and belief, I believe ICANN has/had a contractual relationship with Salt Point Strategies.

The current policy provides a non-exhaustive means for community members to make a disclosure. However, I don’t see a mechanism or repository for ICANN contractors and other non-GNSO/non-ccTLD/non-ALAC community members to declare their Statements of Interest.

During ICANN85, Fiona participated in a panel session. In the Zoom chat I recall making a statement about not seeing an SOIs from any of the panel participants other than Bruce Tonkin. I do not believe anyone, including ICANN staff, responded to my inquiry.

Question/Request to Tripti - If the Board is serious about enhancing SOI transparency within the ICANN community, no person should be listed as a speaker/panelist at an ICANN event unless they have posted a corresponding SOI, absent extraordinary circumstances e.g. last-minute fill-in for another speaker. Do you think this is something that the ICANN Board could direct staff to implement?

Question to John - Could you work with ICANN Org to provide a fail-over SOI repository for those community members that do not neatly fall within the GNSO, ccNSO, or ALAC? If you agree with this recommendation, could you give a potential ETA on when this might be available and where it would be located? Friendly suggestion, I would like to recommend SOI.ICANN.ORG as a default landing page for all SOs, AC, and other community members. If you disagree with this recommendation, I think it would be helpful to provide a public response to the ICANN Board explaining why staff chose not to implement it.

Question to Fiona - Fiona, I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss where you previously posted an ICANN SOI. If you have posted one, I would greatly appreciate it if you could point me to it. I also wanted to confirm the previous/existing relationship between Salt Point Strategies and ICANN.