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