I'd like to point out that the close interaction that Robin points out
between LEAs and Internet governance institutions is not limited to ICANN.
 Please see this recent article examining the flourishing relationship
between LEAs and the Regional Internet Registries <
http://www.circleid.com/posts/20110319_2nd_annual_ripe_ncc_lea_meeting_cooperation_unfolds/>


Of course, this is not all doom and gloom. It is encouraging to hear that
LEAs are being told to participate in the "bottom up" policy making
processes of the RIRs.   However, as Robin notes, agenda setting and framing
of policy debates are just as important.  Any objective, truly
"multistakeholder" Internet governance institution will ensure all sides are
represented.


Best,


---------------------------------------
Brenden Kuerbis
Internet Governance Project
http://internetgovernance.org


On Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 1:30 AM, Robin Gross <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> We need more community involvement in the planning of the discussions /
> meetings held during the various ICANN weeks.   Besides the usual
> Board/AC/SO/ Constituency meetings held during ICANN weeks, the ICANN staff
> unilaterally plan a number of sessions that should require input from the
> community.
>
> For example, last week in SF's ICANN meeting there was a 90 minute session
> on "DNS Abuse" in which ICANN staff unilaterally organized for a series of
> law enforcement officials to provide a "parade of horribles" in order to
> justify less consumer privacy protections at ICANN.
>
> When I asked ICANN staff why there wasn't any privacy experts speaking
> during the public session, the staff member said they "assumed privacy was
> not an issue" so did not think to invite any.  Obviously this is a problem.
>  ICANN staff unilaterally deciding what the discussions topics are, what the
> important issues are, how to present them, what speakers to invite, and what
> perspectives get heard.  The way these discussions are framed obviously
> plays a key role in steering the direction of the policy development
> process.
>
> All of us Internet users are paying for ICANN, we really should have more
> of a say in how it is run and the substance of the discussions planned
> during ICANN week is a good place to start.   These discussions are a place
> where the community should frame the discussion and set the topics, while
> staff merely facilitate the wishes of the community.  It feels too much like
> the the tail is wagging the dog at ICANN.
>
> How can we the community begin to wrestle some control away from the staff
> in terms of how topics are selected and how discussions are organized during
> these meetings?
>
> Thanks,
> Robin
>
>
>
> IP JUSTICE
> Robin Gross, Executive Director
> 1192 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA  94117  USA
> p: +1-415-553-6261    f: +1-415-462-6451
> w: http://www.ipjustice.org     e: [log in to unmask]
>
>