ICANN : Panel on Global Internet Cooperation & Governance Mechanisms Submits NETMundial Contribution Following Sunnylands Meeting
On March 7, the Panel on Global Internet Cooperation and Governance Mechanisms submitted a contribution to NETMundial following their second meeting to discuss guiding principles for a global Internet governance ecosystem at The Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, California.
Representing a diverse group of global stakeholders from government, civil society, the private sector, the technical community and international organizations, the panel looks forward to feedback on its NETMundial contribution, available here.
“We hope that our contribution on Internet governance principles and still-evolving roadmap to operationalizing those principles will foster further discussion at NETMundial” said Vint Cerf, vice-chair of the panel. “Our goal is to achieve equitable stakeholder participation in bottom-up fashion so as to assure ecosystem legitimacy and continued Internet success. It has grown smoothly in the last few decades to serve more than 3 billion users and will have to handle several billion additional users and devices in the years to come.”
During fruitful discussions facilitated by a team of experts at Sunnylands February 27 – 28, the Panel identified 11 strong Internet governance principles built upon a multistakeholder framework. The Panel’s current and developing view on a roadmap forward to operationalize those principles includes:
New mechanisms to map issues to solutions are needed.
New localized mechanisms and national and regional Internet governance structures are needed.
ICANN needs to further globalize.
Global, regional, and national forums and dialogues on Internet governance issues must be strengthened.
Expert communities are needed to support Internet governance structures and mechanisms.
More empowerment, development, and tools are needed to enable Internet governance mechanisms and structures at the global, regional, and national levels.
“A core mission of Sunnylands is to bring world leaders together to facilitate international agreement and help develop solutions to important issues facing democratic institutions,” said Geoffrey Cowan, president of The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands and former dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. “We have been delighted to serve as a partner for the work of the Panel as it addresses the challenge of future Internet governance.”
The Panel looks forward to receiving feedback from the NETmundial conference in São Paulo, Brazil April 23 – 24, 2014 and other forums. Its work will continue to evolve as the discussion advances towards delivering a comprehensive report with a roadmap for the evolution of Internet governance. A final Panel meeting will be hosted by the World Economic Forum in May 2014 in Dubai. The final report will be published in May 2014.
For more information about the Panel and its members, please visit: internetgovernancepanel.org.
The Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands
The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, which operates The Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, California, is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating entity. The Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands hosts high-level retreats that address serious issues facing the nation and the world, including the recent official meeting between President Obama and President Xi of the People’s Republic of China. In addition, Sunnylands offers programs through the Sunnylands Center & Gardens to educate the public about the history of Sunnylands, its architecture, art collections, cultural significance, and sustainable practices. For more information please visit: http://sunnylands.org.
ICANN
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is an internationally organised, non-profit corporation that has responsibility for Internet Protocol (IP) address space allocation, protocol identifier assignment, generic (gTLD) and country code (ccTLD) Top-Level Domain name system management, and root server system management functions. As a private-public partnership, ICANN is dedicated to preserving the operational stability of the Internet; to promoting competition; to achieving broad representation of global Internet communities; and to developing policy appropriate to its mission through bottom-up, consensus-based processes. For more information please visit: http://www.icann.org.
The World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
Incorporated as a foundation in 1971 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit; it is tied to no political, partisan or national interests. For more information please visit: http://www.weforum.org.
For more information on the Panel, please contact: Holli Holsan at
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ICANN: Draft Implementation Plan for the WHOIS Online Accuracy and Reporting System
Purpose (Brief): Draft Implementation Plan for WHOIS Online Accuracy Reporting System The new WHOIS Online Accuracy Reporting System is a key project linked to ICANN ‘s strategic initiative to improve the overall effectiveness and accuracy of the WHOIS system. In response to the recommendations of the WHOIS Review Team, the system is designed to produce statistical reports on WHOIS accuracy rates. These reports will be made available on the WHOIS website on a periodic basis, providing visibility and transparency into whether accuracy levels are improving over time.
With the help of NORC at the University of Chicago, the pioneer of one of the earliest studies into WHOIS accuracy, ICANN is publishing NORC’s suggested model for implementing this statistical analysis. Taking into account recent WHOIS developments, such as the adoption of the new 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement (2013 RAA ), the model examines a WHOIS record for each of the validation perspectives highlighted in SSAC-58 [PDF, 490 KB], namely, syntactic, operational, and identity validation, and assigns a scoring methodology. These in turn will translate into a finding of accuracy labels, based on range of possibilities, such as: No Failure, Minimal Failure, Limited Failure, Substantial Failure, and Full Failure, which will be reported on a regular basis, and tracked over time. The model also describes a sampling methodology to ensure that a statistically significant number of records are examined to provide adequate geographic scope, and that enable a comparison of accuracy levels associated with new gTLDs and legacy gTLDs, as well as other comparisons.
The Draft Implementation Plan published today describes ICANN ‘s proposed design based on the NORC model for determining how to identify a WHOIS record as “inaccurate” for use in the WHOIS Online Accuracy Reporting System. It also includes additional information on the proposed next steps for developing other aspects of the WHOIS Online Accuracy Reporting System.
On 8 November 2012, the ICANN Board approved a series of improvements to the manner in which ICANN carries out its responsibilities for WHOIS (the current gTLD registration data directory service), in response to the recommendations of the WHOIS Review Team convened under the Affirmation of Commitments. The Board’s mandate calls for ICANN to execute its Action Plan [PDF, 119 KB] for improving WHOIS.
In the Action Plan, ICANN committed to:
- proactively identify potentially inaccurate gTLD data registration information in gTLD registry and registrar services, explore using automated tools, and forward potentially inaccurate records to gTLD registrars for action; and
- publicly report on the resulting actions to encourage improved accuracy.
To satisfy these requirements, ICANN has been developing a WHOIS Online Accuracy and Reporting System that will produce reports to be published on the WHOIS website on a periodic basis.
With the help of NORC at the University of Chicago, ICANN is publishing a proposal for examining a WHOIS record and assigning different levels of accuracy for the WHOIS Online Accuracy Reporting System, and includes a methodology for implementing the statistical analysis and reporting features. The NORC proposal is published as an Appendix to the Draft Implementation Plan.
ICANN welcomes comments on the NORC proposed methodology, as well as any other aspect of the Draft Implementation Plan published today.
- Board Approved Action Plan [PDF, 119 KB] for Implementing WHOIS Review Team Recommendations
- Status of the other activities underway to improve WHOIS is available here
- To learn about WHOIS, please visit the WHOIS website
Comment / Reply Periods (*)
- Comment Open Date: 11 March 2014
- Comment Close Date: 1 April 2014 – 23:59 UTC
- Reply Open Date: 2 April 2014
- Reply Close Date: 23 April 2014 – 23:59 UTC
- Public Comment Announcement
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- View Comments Submitted
www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/whois-accuracy-reporting-11mar14-en.htm
ICANN Singapore Holding Several Sessions On New gTLDs
With the release of gTLDs into the wild and registrations mounting (over 200,000 according to Domain Incite), ICANN’s meeting in Singapore later this month will have a number of sessions “for applicants and new registries to discuss the evolution of the New gTLD Program with staff and hear about best practices for running registries. Sessions will be presented on topics like Auction Implementation, Name Collision, Community Priority Evaluation, implementation of GAC Advice and more,” writes Akram Atallah, President of ICANN’s Global Domains Division, on the ICANN blog.
On Monday, 24 March, the Global Domains Division (GDD) will present high-level updates on progress and key milestones of the New gTLD Program. The first new generic Top-Level Domains from the Program went live in early 2014 and the accomplishments that ICANN and the Internet community have achieved together in this regard are impressive. Information on this session can be found below:
The sessions that Atallah outlines will be held are as follows:
- New gTLD Program Update
- Name Collision
- Registration Directory Services: Now and the Future
- New GTLD Program Auctions
- TLD Universal Acceptance
- Exploring Replacements for WHOIS – The Next Generation Directory Services
- TLD Launch Process Experiences and Registry Onboarding
- IDN Variant TLDs Program
- TLD Registry – Ongoing Operation
- 2013 RAA FAQs
- Supporting the DNS Industry in Underserved Regions
- IDN Root Zone LGR Public Workshop – Integration & Generation Panels.
There is more information on each session, as well as its time and location, in the ICANN blog post at:
blog.icann.org/2014/03/icann-49-singapore-generic-domains-division-gdd-sessions
ICANN, CTO, Nominet and PIR To Host First Commonwealth DNS Forum
The International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO), Nominet and Public Interest Registry will host the first Commonwealth Domain Name System forum .
The Forum will be held in London on 19-20 June,2014.
You can read the press release after the jump :
“The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the UK domain name registry Nominet and Public Interest Registry, operators of the .ORG domain will jointly host the first Commonwealth Domain Name System forum in London on 19 – 20 June 2014.
Named Commonwealth DNS Forum 2014, the event is designed to help the stakeholders from across the Commonwealth to examine:
· the economic potential of the domain name industry
· governance policy options for the cyberspace
· issues surrounding local content generation and utilisation
· opportunities for investment and innovation
· the social impact of generic top level domains
· opportunities for and impact upon civil society, and
· the role of multi-stakeholder partnerships to develop public policy.
“This event will contribute to ICANN’s global programme to diversify its Community through a multi-stakeholder approach. The Commonwealth represents a cross section of the global ICT community contributing a great deal to the public policy debate. We hope this event will be able to marshal that thinking for the greater good of the DNS community” said Nigel Hickson, ICANN’s Vice-President, Stakeholder Engagement, Europe.
Professor Tim Unwin, the Secretary-General of the CTO said: “The CTO is delighted to be a partner of this event which, for the first time, will bring an important Commonwealth perspective to a consultation on the domain name system. It will be another step in the CTO’s efforts to mobilise the strengths of the Commonwealth to ensure Cyberspace delivers the socio-economic benefits it is capable of.”
Nominet’s Chief Executive Officer, Lesley Cowley OBE, added: “We’re very pleased to be supporting this important event. There is a lot of interesting activity taking place across the Commonwealth which is helping to unlock the full potential of the Internet. This includes improving cyber security, increasing access, and work with local communities and businesses, as well as developments in the DNS market. We hope that the Commonwealth DNS Forum will allow us to share this wealth of practical experience, helping us all to learn from each other.”
“For more than a decade, Public Interest Registry has served as an advocate for collaboration, safety and security on the Internet. As the long-standing operator of the .ORG domain and operator of the soon-to-be-launched .NGO and .ONG domains for the global non-governmental organisation community, we have unique insight into the issues surrounding the domain industry. We look forward to bringing together stakeholders from across the Commonwealth at this event to help them prepare for imminent changes to the Internet landscape and to foster discussion around the power of the domain name system,” said Brian Cute, Chief Executive Officer of Public Interest Registry.
The event will be opened by Kamalesh Sharma, Commonwealth Secretary-General, and will be attended by over 150 participants from across the Commonwealth with a speaker faculty drawn from public sector, industry and civil society.”
WIPO Re-elects Francis Gurry As Director General
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has re-elected Francis Gurry for a second term as its Director General.
WIPO, based in Geneva, settles disputes involving domain names as well as patents, copyright and trademarks plus intellectual property matters.
The WIPO news release announcing Gurry’s re-election is below:
WIPO’s Coordination Committee Nominates Francis Gurry for Second Term as Director General [news release]
The Coordination Committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) nominated by consensus Mr. Francis Gurry for a second term as Director General of WIPO.
The WIPO General Assembly will meet in an extraordinary session on May 8-9, 2014 to confirm the nomination. Mr. Gurry’s first term as Director General expires on September 30, 2014.
To applause from delegates, Committee Chair Ambassador Fode Seck declared Mr. Gurry the consensus nominee. Mr. Gurry offered his “heartfelt and profound thanks” to member states from all regional groups for the support given to him.
“I think that the world of intellectual property is a challenging one, but one with great opportunities,” Mr. Gurry told delegates. He said a main goal is to “maximize opportunities for all member states.”
“Let me say that I am deeply honored by your support and I am profoundly grateful to you and look forward to working with you all,” Mr. Gurry said.
The process of electing a Director General is governed by the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization and “The Procedures for the Nomination and Appointment of Directors General of WIPO,” adopted by the General Assembly of WIPO in September 1998.
The Coordination Committee, which comprises 83 member states, held one round of voting from a list which originally included four candidates.
Mr. Gurry prevailed in that round of voting with 46 votes, with 20 votes for Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama of Nigeria, 10 votes for Panama’s Mr. Alfredo Suescum Alfaro and seven votes for Mr. Jüri Seilenthal of Estonia. According to the rules, the candidate with the least number of votes after the first round is eliminated.
Before the second round of voting began, the candidacies of Mr. Suescum and Mr. Onyeama were withdrawn and Mr. Gurry was selected as the consensus nominee by delegates signaling their acclaim with a round of applause.
Mr. Gurry’s curriculum vitae can be found here [pdf].
Mr. Gurry is the fourth Director General of WIPO, following Dr. Kamil Idris of Sudan (1997-2008), Mr. Arpad Bogsch of the United States (1973-1997) and Mr. Georg Bodenhausen of the Netherlands (1970-1973). The WIPO Director General serves a six-year term.
