ICANN participation

At-Large Structure Application from the Hong Kong Internet Forum (HKIF)

Contact Information

1. Organization's Name: Hong Kong Internet Forum (HKIF)
2. Organization's email address: sec@xxxxx (email address to the secretary of HKIF)
3. Organization's phone number (include country/city codes): +852 9120 7940
4. Organization's address (location and postal address, if different):
   433 Central Building
   Pedder Street
   Central
   Hong Kong
5. Organization's website (URL) (if available): http://www.hkif.org (under construction)
6. Organization's contact for ALS application (email, phone, address):
   Paul Chow
   sec@xxxxx
   +852 9120 7940

Description

7. Is your organization constituted so that participation by individual
   Internet users who are citizens or residents of countries within the
   Geographic Region in which your organization is based will predominate
   in your organization's operation?
   Yes. HKIF is set up primarily for participation by individual Internet users in Hong Kong in the development of policies and technical issues related to the use and applications of Internet.
8. Describe your organization's constituents/membership (number, citizenship/location,
   defining characteristic - e.g. profession for professional societies):
   Hong Kong Internet Forum (HKIF) was set up only recently and has about 50 members. These initial members are residents in Hong Kong. Some of them are engaged in the legal profession, information technology industry and Internet Service Provider business. Our intention is to encourage participation by a broader spectrum of individual Internet users covering all walks of life.
9. Explain the eligibility requirements (if any) for your organization's
   constituents/membership (if you provide a written application for admission
   as a member, you may attach a copy):
   Members have to be residents in Hong Kong with an interest in the
   development and use of Internet.
10. In what language/s does your organization conduct its business?
    Chinese (Cantonese) and English.
11. Provide support for the statement that your organization is self-supporting
    (by answering "yes" you confirm that it will not rely on ICANN for funding):
    Yes.
12. Describe your organization's structure (e.g. governing and decision-making
    bodies and processes):
    The HKIF Council consists of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, secretary,
    treasurer and at least 3 other Council members. The governing processes
    are laid down in Section 5 of the ByLaws of HKIF.
13. Does your organization commit to supporting its individual constituents'/membership's
    informed participation in ICANN?
    Yes. HKIF is commit to supporting its individual
    constituents'/membership's informed participation in ICANN
14. Describe how your organization keeps its constituents/membership
    informed about, and enables them to participate in, decisions regarding
    issues of interest:
    HKIF maintains a website (under construction) on which all issues of
    interest are posted for members' dissemination. Discussions on issues
    can take place via the forum provided on the web site or via email.
    Email lists will be created for members and for committees/task forces
    set up to address specific issues at hand to enable timely discussion
    among the members.
15. Does your organization post on the Internet publicly-accessible,
    current information about your organization's goals, structure, description
    of constituent group(s)/membership, working mechanisms, leadership,
    and contact(s) (if this information currently is available, provide
    URLs)?
    Yes. Our website (url: http://www.hkif.org), currently under
    construction, will post information about the organization's goals,
    structure, description of constituent group(s)/membership, working
    mechanisms, leadership, and contact(s)
16. Provide information on your organization's leadership (leaders'
    names, positions, emails):
    Chairman: Christopher To (christopher@xxxxx)
    Vice-Chairman: Gary Soo (gary@xxxxx)
    Secretary: Paul Chow (paul@xxxxx)

Objectives

17. What is your organization's primary goal or mission (please attach
    any mission or policy statement for your organization, if in writing,
    or provide a URL, if posted):
    Our objectives are
    1. to foster the increasing awareness and knowledge of individual
       Internet users in Hong Kong on use of Internet and its applications to
       enhance the life of individual users, social ethics and social harmony;
    2. to provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge and views on the
       development of Internet policies, infrastructure, technologies,
       standards and applications among Internet users, and provide effective
       channels for the dissemination of such information;
    3. to represent the views and needs of Hong Kong Internet users in
       policy development and development of standards, technical
       infrastructure and its administration by ICANN and other bodies related
       to the Internet
    4. to provide a forum and promote and encourage Hong Kong Internet
       users' participation and involvement in ICANN and other bodies related
       to the Internet in an open and transparent manner;
    5. to cooperate with other Internet institutions to promote the
       healthy development of the Internet, global collaboration to achieve such and in
       particular the establishment and operation of APRALO;
    6. to act as an impartial advisor to the government(s), related
       Internet institutions, and the public on matters of significant interest
       to Hong Kong people in relation to the development of Internet policies,
       international cooperation, technical infrastructure and its administration
18. What ICANN-related issues currently are of interest to your organization's
    constituents/membership:
    The following issues are of interest to HKIF:
    - Internationalised TLD
    - WHOIS and Personal Data Privacy
    - Process to approve new gTLDs and sTLDs
    - Future direction of the operations of IANA
    - Formation of APRALO
    - Internet Governance policies and development
19. If formed, will your organization commit to assisting the Regional
    At-Large Organization (RALO) for the region in which your organization
    is based in performing its function?
    Yes.

Signature

Paul Chow
Secretary of HKIF