ICANN Resolution on the WIPO Report

[erony@marin.k12.ca.us (Ellen Rony)]

ICANN's Resolution regarding the report of the World Intellectual Property
Organization in Berlin is certain to draw a broad variety of resposes.
While I am pleased that ICANN has appropriately deferred recommendations in
Chapters 3, 4, and 5 to the Domain Name Supporting Organization, some
concerns remain.

The ICANN board uses as justification for adoption of the recommendations
of Chapter 2 that they parallel ICANN's Statement of Registrar
Accreditation Policy which was promulgated without public comment.  This is
post hoc ergo propter hoc policymaking.

Next, the July 31 deadline for the DNSO to submit Chapter 3 recommendations
to ICANN is too ambitious for a new organization.   The DNSO is still in
its infancy and the mechanics of its organization are not yet set up.
Additionally, all six of the recognized constituencies are commercial:
registries, registrars, business, trademark owners, and ISPs.  No
representation for a voice in domain name administration has been provided
to non-commercial groups, community organizations, schools, churches,
individuals, and indigenous groups.  Thus, commercial interests have been
given control of the DNSO decision-making process.

The administration of domain names and addresses affects all Internet
expression, not just the commercial interests.   There is no reason to rush
through the WIPO recommendations. Matters of such significance should not
be decided by this interim, unelected, closed ICANN board.  Instead of
making interested parties scuttle their summer plans and scramble to meet
ICANN's accelerated and arbitrary deadlines, and enabling such decisions to
be made without input from individuals and the non-commercial constituents,
the ICANN board should concentrate on establishing its membership structure
and the mechanism to vote in a replacement board of directors.

Disenfranchised,




Ellen Rony                                                       Co-author
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