Andrew, yes, Google is a founding member of the Global Network Initiative and is working with GNI to develop a human rights assessment process for Internet companies and hopefully the ICT sector more broadly. Perhaps ICANN staff might be more willing to listen to GNI members Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft than to non-commercial users.
milton Mueller wrote:I recently attended a talk by David Drummond, Chief Legal Officer and Senior
> This is a fantastic idea, Rebecca.
> As you may know, some of us have been trying to get free expression concerns
> as an officially recognized part of ICANN's agenda for some time (back to
> the beginning, in fact).
> We learned during the new gTLD policy making process (e.g., the "morality
> and public order" section) how difficult that will be and we have learned
> that the U.S. government is completely indifferent, at least the Commerce
> Department that controls relations with ICANN.
VP at Google, on Technology and Freedom of Speech. He (and by extension,
Google, since he was speaking officially for the company) have a policy of
promoting freedom of speech quite broadly. They might be a useful ally in
such an effort.