[Governance] RE: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Civil Society Priorities Document

[Michael Froomkin - U.Miami School of Law]

Adam has persuaded me he is correct about this.

On Mon, 14 Jul 2003, Adam Peake wrote:

> The paragraph should be deleted.
> 
> ICANN is far from perfect. It's policy making structures are not as 
> open as we would like. I've been involved in "Internet Governance" 
> for 6 or 7 years. Izumi and I were members of the only consistent 
> civil society effort that tried to defend the right to election and 
> direct representation -- so please do not think I am some kind of 
> ICANN apologist.
> 
> While ICANN is not the organization we hoped it would be, its policy 
> making processes are quite open to Civil Society (certainly compared 
> to the alternatives.)  We can and do have a direct influence (I know, 
> I've done it.) And recent changes to ICANN policy making processes 
> indicate that there will be more opportunities in the future, not 
> less.  If we were in a debating hall I would be more than happy to 
> stand up and list problems with ICANN.
> 
> But this week, all this is besides the point. It's not the issue.  We 
> are here reacting to an effort by some governments to take control of 
> Internet naming and addressing.  They believe they should have 
> sovereign rights not only to TLDs but to IP address allocation and to 
> control of the root server system (read the working documents and 
> contributions.) Other governments want to see these functions become 
> the responsibility of an "inter-governmental organization." It is 
> quite clear that the organization they are thinking of is the ITU.
> 
> What's at stake this week is very simple. Will the draft documents 
> support the status quo, ICANN? Or will they support change? By asking 
> for "re-examination" we will support change. Governments like Syria 
> will take us as supporting their efforts. Governments and the ITU 
> will use our words to their advantage. There is no plan C.  There is 
> nothing other than the two options.  If you want to risk supporting 
> ITU and government control of Internet naming and addressing, leave 
> the paragraph in place.
> 
> I very strongly request that **the paragraph should be deleted.**
> 
> Many thanks,
> 
> Adam
> 
> 
> 
> At 9:58 PM -0400 7/13/03, Sasha Costanza-Chock wrote:
> >I'm not so sure, Adam...do you feel that the current management of internet
> >names and addresses is the best system for allocating what is essentially a
> >global commons, in the public interest? If so, please explain why a
> >byzantine structure like ICANN, geared towards corporate needs, is the best
> >system. If not, it seems entirely appropriate to raise the question.
> >
> >sasha costanza-chock
> >
> >
> >>From: Adam Peake
> >>I request that the following paragraph be deleted from the Civil
> >>Society Priorities Document:
> >
> >"To these ends, the current management of Internet names and numbers
> >and other related mechanisms should be re-examined with the full
> >participation of all stakeholders in light of serving public
> >interests and compatibility with human rights standards."
> >
> >It can only serve to support the arguments of governments that wish
> >to gain control over Internet resource allocation, and others hoping
> >to see the ITU or some other inter-governmental organization take
> >control of Internet naming and addressing.
> >
> >It should be deleted.
> >
> >Kind regards,
> >
> >Adam Peake
> >GLOCOM Tokyo
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >_______________________________________________
> >Plenary mailing list
> >Plenary at wsis-cs.org
> >http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary
> >_______________________________________________
> >Plenary mailing list
> >Plenary at wsis-cs.org
> >http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary
> 
> 
> 

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A. Michael Froomkin   |    Professor of Law    |   froomkin at law.tm
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