Historical Resolution Tracking Feature » Conduct at ICANN Meetings
Important note: The explanatory text provided through this database (including the summary, implementation actions, identification of related resolutions, and additional information) is an interpretation or an explanation that has no official authority and does not represent the purpose behind the Board actions, nor does any explanations or interpretations modify or override the Resolutions themselves. Resolutions can only be modified through further act of the ICANN Board.
Conduct at ICANN Meetings
Board approves proposed revisions to the language of the Expected Standards of Behavior
Whereas, during and after ICANN55, the issue of certain community-member conduct toward one another has been raised in various sessions and lists.
Whereas, the Board Governance Committee (BGC) has reviewed proposed revisions to the language of the Expected Standards of Behavior that align with generally accepted broad standards for areas of protection, and recommended that the Board authorize the revised version be posted for public comment.
Whereas, the BGC also has recommended that the Board direct the President and CEO, or his designee(s), to retain an expert, as appropriate, with experience in drafting and implementing relevant anti-harassment policies to assist in the development of a Community anti-harassment policy/procedure to be followed at ICANN Public Meetings.
Resolved (2016.05.15.04), the Board hereby authorizes the posting for public comment of the proposed revised Expected Standards of Behavior.
Resolved (2016.05.15.05), the Board hereby directs the President and CEO, or his designee(s), to retain an expert, as appropriate, with experience in drafting and implementing relevant anti-harassment policies to assist in the development of a Community anti-harassment policy/procedure to be followed at ICANN Public Meetings, which could include items such as complaints handling and resolution and enforcement processes.
During and after ICANN55, the issue of certain community-member conduct toward one another has been raised in various sessions and lists, and the Board agreed to address this matter. In response, the Board has confirmed and reiterated that ICANN's Board and staff take the issue of harassment or other improper conduct at its meetings very seriously. ICANN and members of the community share the goal of ensuring that ICANN community members are able to participate and contribute within an environment that does not tolerate discrimination and that remains free from harassment.
As an organization, ICANN has robust internal policies regarding the issue, including mandatory training for staff and Board members. While ICANN community members are not bound to the same policies and rules as the ICANN Board and staff, ICANN does expect community members to adhere to certain Expected Standards of Behavior ("Standards"). The current language of these Standards does not specifically address harassment, but does provide a set of high-level guidelines for interacting with one another. As the Board previously committed, the Board Governance Committee (BGC) was tasked with considering possible enhancements to the language of these Standards. Accordingly, revisions to the Standards have been proposed that are based on generally accepted broad standards for protection, and the BGC has reviewed these and recommended that the Board authorize the posting for public comment of the proposed revised Standards.
In parallel, staff has initiated discussions with community leaders, and the Board and staff have received input from various aspects of the community, about the process for developing a Community anti-harassment policy. It appears from the input received to date that Community members (at least those that have publicly commented) would like to ask ICANN to work with experts, as needed and appropriate, to help develop a proposed Community anti-harassment policy/procedure to be followed at ICANN Public Meetings, which would in turn be presented to the community for further discussion and input. Further, various Community leaders and members, either as part of group calls on the topic or individually, provided a number of specific examples that can inform the drafting of a proposed policy/procedure. These include:
The Ada Initiative (https://adainitiative.org/continue-our-work/ada-initiative-event-anti-ha...);
The IETF (https://www.ietf.org/iesg/statement/ietf-anti-harassment-policy.html);
The Internet Governance Forum (http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/aboutigf/igf-code-of-conduct);
The NTEN (Nonprofit Technology Network (http://www.nten.org/ntc/about-the-ntc/code-of-conduct/);
RIPE (https://ripe72.ripe.net/on-site/code-of-conduct/);
The United Nations and its specialized agencies' anti-harassment staff policies (some of these are collected at http://www.ficsa.org/component/sobipro/?task=download.file&fid=37.1329&s...) [DOCX, 36 KB]
In addition, the GNSO Chair and Vice Chairs sent a letter on behalf of the GNSO Council and suggested a number of considerations to be taken into account in developing an anti-harassment policy and procedure for the Community. A copy of the letter can be viewed at http://gnso.icann.org/en/correspondence/bladel-to-atallah-25apr16-en.pdf [PDF, 299 KB].
The BGC therefore also has recommended that the Board direct the President and CEO, or his designee(s), to retain an expert, as appropriate, with experience in drafting and implementing relevant anti-harassment policies to assist in the development of a Community anti-harassment policy/procedure to be followed at ICANN Public Meetings, which could include items such as complaints handling and resolution and enforcement processes. The Board agrees with this approach.
There will be a minor fiscal impact on ICANN, which is not anticipated to exceed already budgeted amounts, and it will not have any impact on the security, stability or resiliency of the domain name system.
This decision is an Organizational Administrative Function that does not require public comment.