Commitments (PICs) and Registry
Voluntary Commitments (RVCs) should tune
into the ICANN Board's Webinar tomorrow, Monday, 18 Dec,
19:00–20:30
UTC, link at
https://www.icann.org/en/announcements/details/icann-webinar-framework-for-public-interest-and-registry-voluntary-commitments-11-12-2023-en
This is an issue to which NCSG and NCUC have devoted A LOT of time
in
the last decade. A dozen years ago, in the First Round of New
gTLDs,
some horrible "voluntary commitments" were submitted by New gTLD
applicants and we have been concerned ever since. Undermining the
public
interest, undermining fair and balanced policies, and undermining
the
Multistakeholder Model must not be allowed in future
"commitments."
A few of the many documents sharing our concerns:
In the last two NCUC Anniversary Issues Forums, we actively shared
concerns and urged ICANN to revisit the issue of PICs and RVCs -
and our
session at ICANN78 in Hamburg is recorded and available online. We
are
glad to see ICANN answering these calls!
The Big Question Facing ICANN’s Contractual Governance Regime,
Milton
Mueller, _"Some interest groups (mainly Registries and GAC) want
ICANN
to be empowered to enforce compliance with Registry Voluntary
Commitments (RVCs), formerly known as Public Interest Commitments
(PICs). Civil society groups and some Internet businesses see in
the
proposed change a threat to freedom of expression on the internet
and an
attempt to undermine ICANN’s multistakeholder policy development
process."
_
https://www.internetgovernance.org/2023/06/15/the-big-question-facing-icanns-contractual-governance-regime/
The Sad Story of Private Public Interest Commitments (PICs), Kathy
Kleiman,
https://circleid.com/posts/20200311-the-sad-story-of-private-public-interest-commitments-pics#fn6
---
The Webinar will most certainly be recorded if you cannot attend
during
this busy days.
Happy Holidays!
Kathy