ICANN57 Hyderabad

The Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG) is an ICANN supported, community-based team working to promote the concept of Universal Acceptance of TLDs among software developers and website owners. To achieve Universal Acceptance, Internet applications and systems must treat all domains in a consistent manner, including new gTLDs and Internationalized Domain Names. In this workshop, participants will discuss UASG work to date and collaborate to develop future solutions. This session is geared toward UASG members and those interested in getting involved.
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Staff Leader: Don Hollander

“ICANN Accountability, Transparency, and Ethics: Our approach and progress”.
Is ICANN accountability important to you?  Do you want to learn about ICANN’s approach and progress to improving Ethics, Transparency and Accountability? Join us and provide your input!
What is it and why does it matter? Ethics, Transparency and Accountability are fundamental safeguards that ensure ICANN’s multistakeholder operating model remains healthy and effective.  These principles are built into every level of the organization and are part of the five year ICANN Strategic Plan. ICANN is committed to maintaining and improving mechanisms for Ethics, Transparency and Accountability in order to ensure that the outcomes of its decision-making reflect the public interest and maintain accountability to the Internet community.
Session Agenda: 1. A high-level overview of our approach to Ethics, Transparency and Accountability and how these principles contribute to the healthy functioning of the ICANN multistakeholder model. 2. A summary of progress toward achieving goals, illustrated through key performance indicators and other relevant information. 3. Q&A
Who should attend? No matter if you are a seasoned participant in the work of ICANN or just getting involved, you are probably wondering what's behind ICANN's strategic objectives? Because the topics of Ethics, Transparency and Accountability are so essential to ICANN's future, all participants in ICANN's work will be interested to see how these big ideas are supported by concrete actions and measures.
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Staff Leader: Charla Shambley

Background/ Importance: ICANN Meetings are a central principle of ICANN's multi-stakeholder model because they provide a venue for progressing policy work, conducting outreach, exchanging best practices, conducting business deals, interacting among members of the ICANN Community, including Board and Staff, and learning about ICANN. cross-community engagement and outreach were very prominently on the agenda of the policy forum, and this will most likely continue to be so in the future
Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: Create awareness on what outreach means to ICANN, what has been done and what are the next steps for the SOs & ACs on this matter. What does outreach mean to each SO/AC? Once that question has been answered, one can work on a better interpretation of outreach, and develop or refine a strategy on reaching out to new potential members as well as to engage new and existing members.
Session Format: The chair sets the scene regarding the various initiatives, and the concerns raised about the level of outreach currently available. After the high level introduction, moderators take over and ask the audience questions, and invite them to share views. Wrap-up by the chair.
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Staff Leader: Bart Boswinkel

Background/Importance:
This high interest topic session is proposed by the GAC Public Safety Working Group (PSWG).
Subsequent to the Affirmation of Commitments and GAC Safeguard Advice for New gTLDs (Beijing Communiqué, 11 April 2013), a number of measures to mitigate abuse of the DNS have been incorporated into ICANN’s New gTLD Program. Additionally, a range of abuse-related activities at ICANN are still in development phase.
While the effectiveness of such measures is subject to ongoing reviews in connection with the Competition, Consumer Trust and Consumer Choice (CCT) Review, the PSWG notes the prevalence of threats (as demonstrated by reports of abuse by specialized industry actors ) which raise important public safety issues.
In order to ensure an interactive and productive session on this topic, the PSWG is inviting presentations and discussion of existing best practices across the industry, as well as ICANN’s efforts in enforcing relevant provisions incorporated into both the Registry Agreement (RA) and the Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA).
Goals and expected outcomes:
• Update ICANN Community and discuss current industry practices in the mitigation of abuse of the DNS
• Provide an opportunity for the ICANN Community and its SO/ACs to present their views and raise their concerns for consideration in the ongoing reviews of the effectiveness of current safeguards, as well as ongoing abuse-related activities at ICANN.
Relevant documentation:
• Competition, Consumer Trust and Consumer Choice Review https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/reviews/cct
• Draft Report on New gTLD Program Safeguards to Mitigate DNS Abuse to serve as input into the CCT Review - Public Comment Forum: https://www.icann.org/public-comments/new-gtld-safeguards-dns-abuse-2016-03-15-en

• GAC Input (19 May 2016): https://forum.icann.org/lists/comments-new-gtld-safeguards-dns-abuse-15mar16/msg00009.html
• gTLD Marketplace Health Index https://www.icann.org/public-comments/gtld-marketplace-health-2015-11-17-en
https://www.icann.org/public-comments/gtld-marketplace-health-beta-2016-07-19-en
• Security Framework for Registry Operators to Response to Security Threats https://community.icann.org/display/S1SF/Security+Framework+Home
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Staff Leader: Julia Charvolen

Background/Importance:
This high interest topic session is proposed by the GAC Public Safety Working Group (PSWG).
There are currently several substantial Whois-related initiatives underway across ICANN and its Community: the Next Generation Registration Directory Services GNSO Policy Development Process, the implementation of the Proxy & Privacy Services Accreditation GNSO Policy Recommendations, as well as other activities such as the development of the Whois Accuracy Reporting System or the Implementation Advisory Group on the Whois Conflict Procedure with Local Laws.
Currently, the PSWG is involved in several of these Whois-related initiatives that may have Public Policy and Public Safety implications. Through its contributions in these activities the PSWG has been developing positions and a body knowledge that could benefit the larger ICANN Community.
To ensure an interactive and productive session, the PSWG is proposing a focus on accountability of domain registration. The PSWG will introduce the challenges and invite an update on the various ongoing initiatives from this perspective, for discussion with the ICANN community.
Goals and expected outcomes:
• Update of the ICANN Community and its SO/ACs on objectives, scope, timeline, progress and achievements of relevant initiatives, with a specific focus on accountability of domain registration
• Presentation of the body of knowledge related to accountability of domain registration, documented in work products or discussions to date, including that of the PSWG
• Sharing of views on the challenges of accountability of domain registration
Relevant documentation:
• Next Generation Registration Directory Services PDP https://community.icann.org/x/rjJ-Ag
• Proxy & Privacy Services Accreditation Policy Implementation https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/ppsai-2016-08-18-en
• WHOIS Accuracy Reporting System https://whois.icann.org/en/whoisars
• Implementation Advisory Group on the Whois Conflict Procedure with Local Law https://gnso.icann.org/en/drafts/iag-review-whois-conflicts-procedure-23may16-en.pdf
• WHOIS 2015 Annual Report https://www.icann.org/news/blog/whois-2015-annual-report-highlights-recent-accomplishments
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Staff Leader: Julia Charvolen

The Public Forums are the open microphone sessions that afford community members the opportunity to make comments and ask questions directly to the Board and in front of the of the rest of the community.
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Staff Leader: James Cole

This meeting of the CCWG-IG will consider the forthcoming work of the group and also discuss mutual working arrangements with the Board WG on Internet Governance.
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Staff Leader: Nigel Hickson

JOINT MEETING OF THE BOARD AND ASO/NRO

Our aim is to "Advance accessibility issues within ICANN by reviewing and tackling the particular needs of populations who face challenges to participate in ICANN". This session is open to all interested in the topic. Agenda: https://community.icann.org/x/1wSbAw
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Staff Leader: Ariel Liang

JOINT MEETING OF THE BOARD AND NCSG

Joint Meeting ICANN Board And Contracted Party House

JOINT MEETING:ICANN BOARD & COMMERCIAL STAKEHOLDER GROUP

Background & Context
Discussions around the concept of the public interest within ICANN's remit have been taking place for many years. 
In 2013-2014, the Strategy Panel on Public Responsibility Framework explored this topic and, in consultations with the community, proposed the following definition for the global public interest in relation to the Internet:
[E]nsuring that the Internet becomes, and continues to be, stable, inclusive, and accessible across the globe so that all may enjoy the benefits of a single and open Internet. In addressing its public responsibility, ICANN must build trust in the Internet and its governance ecosystem.
While this definition has been well received, there is a desire to revisit. 
A high interest session took place at ICANN55, which helped build on previous discussions, but did not lead to concrete recommendations for next steps. Following ICANN55, the At-Large Advisory Committee created a Working Group to further explore the concept of the public interest. 
As the organization readies for significant changes, it is important to carry the conversation forward.  
A panel comprised of members of the ICANN community will lead the discussion. 
Agenda Details
15:15 – 15:20 Setting the Scene, Olivier Crepin-Leblond, EURALO Chair
15:20 – 15:40 Historical & Political Nuances of the Concept of the Global Public Interest: Examples from Europe & India, Wolf Ludwig, EURALO & Rajesh Chharia, ISPAI
15:40 – 16:10 Reaching a Shared Understanding: The Concept of the Public Interest at ICANN and its Application, Jonathan Robinson, GNSO & Becky Burr, GNSO
16:10 – 16:20 Explore How Public Interest Could be Operationalized as the Basis for Decision-making at ICANN, Thomas Schneider, GAC 
16: 20 –16:40 Open Mic 
16:40 – 16:45 Next Steps, Olivier Crepin-Leblond
Relevant Documents:  • Strategy Panel on Public Responsibility Framework report: http://bit.ly/1zEdR1D   • ICANN55 high interest session materials: http://bit.ly/2b3ym1R   • Wikispace: http://bit.ly/icannPI   • Mailing list: http://bit.ly/Pimailer  
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Staff Leader: Ergys Ramaj

DNS and Content Regulation Group: NCUC
Background/ Importance: ICANN and its domain name registries and registrars are steadily increasing pressure to assume responsibility for enforcement of rules about content on the Internet. We see this in calls for the cancellation or suspension of domain names associated with allegedly illegal or objectionable content hosted on a website to which the name resolves. This includes content that is alleged to be in breach of intellectual property rights, or that might contravenes national licensing or regulatory requirements, or might be in breach of some other law or social standard. The attraction of enforcing content rules through ICANN and its contracted parties is that they are a convenient gateway for access to most content that is hosted online, and if they can be induced to act, the complainant will be able to save much time and money in comparison to pursuing legal avenues. This applies especially to cases of cross-border disputes, where one or more of the the locations of the complainant, the website host, the website owner, the registry, and the registrar, may be different. But the negative side of this method of enforcement is that it tends to lack the due process and accountability of domestic legal processes. If private parties are held responsible for enforcing content rules, they are likely to enforce them in the way that poses the least cost and risk to themselves, rather than in a way that upholds users’ rights to freedom of expression and privacy. This is especially so if ICANN or its contracted parties are held legally responsible for the registrants’ content in case of their failure to act.
Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: The issues surrounding this debate are highly pertinent to ongoing debates within the ICANN community including: Enforcement of the 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement Application of intermediary liability rules and safe harbours to contracted parties Self-regulatory measures such as the Domain Name Association Healthy Domains Initiative The session will bring together all relevant stakeholders and constituencies including GAC and law enforcement representatives, the Intellectual Property Constituency, the Non-Commercial Users Constituency, and the registrars and registries, to discuss and debate the appropriate role of ICANN and its contracted parties in relation to Internet content hosted at a domain. Although it is not expected that a full consensus will be achieved, the outcomes of the session will be a greater awareness amongst all stakeholders of the complex issues surrounding Internet content regulation through participants in the domain name system, which will feed into ongoing policy discussions throughout the ICANN community and enable more inclusive and informed outcomes to be reached.
Relevant Documentation: • Manila Principles on Intermediary Liability https://www.manilaprinciples.org • Healthy Domains Initiative http://www.thedna.org/the-dna-launches-hdi-press-release-2-16-2016/ • MPAA Trusted Notifier program (Radix http://www.mpaa.org/new-mpaaradix-partnership-highlights-the-continuing-... and Donuts http://www.donuts.domains/donuts-media/blog/donuts-and-the-mpaa-striking...) • EDRi on self-regulation https://edri.org/theme/self-regulation-2/ • ICANN is Not the Internet Content Police https://www.icann.org/news/blog/icann-is-not-the-internet-content-police
Agenda: https://community.icann.org/x/eiS4Aw

Joint Meeting: ICANN Board and ccNSO

The gTLD Marketplace Health Index presents statistics and trends related to generic top-level domains. ICANN plans to publish the index twice a year to track progress against its goal of supporting the evolution of the domain name marketplace to be robust, stable, and trusted. In this session, members of ICANN’s Global Domains Division will provide an overview of this new initiative and how it contributes to broader progress measurement against the organization’s key performance indicators.
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Staff Leader: Amy Bivins

Joint Meeting: ICANN Board and AT-LARGE

The 2016 NomCom Public meeting will cover the following topics: Results of the 2016 NomCom selection process 2016 NomCom recommendations to the 2017 NomCom NomCom review and improvements (Open Discussion) Introduction of 2017 NomCom Leadership Team Positions to be filled by 2017 NomCom

- Background/ Importance: The bottom-up process and contributions via the multistakeholder model are the core of ICANN but claims have regularly been made that the legal advice provided to ICANN does not support that. This session seeks to explore the reasons these claims surface by examining both the nature of the questions asked, the laws/guidelines that are consulted, the processes by which this advice is produced, how this differs for internal and external counsel and how it is then shared with the community.
- Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: A major step forward in transparency around the production of legal advice, a better understand of the operating practices the legal team work within and ideas for how to continue this process to increase community scrutiny of legal advice received by ICANN.
- Session format: Q&A with ICANN General Counsel on the legal advice that ICANN receives and how that supports the ICANN mission
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Staff Leader: Bart Boswinkel

The session will explore and share possible initiatives that would assist Under-Served Regions in ICANN. The Under-Served Regions High Interest Topic session is open to all participants and will be a cross-community discussion. The session will tackle topics such as the definition of underserved and the 2014 ICANN report on the Under-Served Regions and to what extent have the recommendations contained in that report been implemented.
o GAC Under-Served Regions Working Group page: https://gacweb.icann.org/x/w4FhAg o 14 May 2014 report on Supporting the DNS Industry in Underserved Regions: https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/dns-underserved-14may14-en.pdf o Applicant Support Program: https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/applicants/candidate-support
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Staff Leader: Julia Charvolen

For the last few years, we have regularly held a public session on Internet Governance. It allows the Community to discuss and opine on important IG issues that will effect ICANN. The Session informs staff on the views of the Community as well as allowing us an opportunity of providing relevant and pertinent information.
In addition to facilitating an information exchange and a dialogue on important IG issues (such as the IGF) the session at ICANN 57 will, we believe, develop further thinking on Internet Fragmentation.
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Staff Leader: Nigel Hickson

This is a working meeting of the gTLD Marketplace Health Index Advisory Panel. This session is open to the public but will be focused on the Advisory Panel’s work. The agenda will be posted prior to the meeting. At this stage, it is expected that this meeting will focus on refining the scope and definitions of the relevant metrics categories.
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Staff Leader: Amy Bivins

This is a meeting of the AFRALO-AFRICANN community to discuss the current hot topics at an African level as well as any other issues raised. Session open to all At-Large members of AFRALO, AFRICANN and any interested member of the public
Agenda: https://community.icann.org/x/2wSbAw
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Staff Leader: Silvia Vivanco

JOINT MEETING: ICANN BOARD AND SECURITY AND STABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE