ICANN and Economics

Thu Jun 6 15:39:41 EEST 2019

That is the problem Ayden, isn’t it.  I posted this article, not because of the IP-related bias (which I think is irrelevant to the main point the author is making) but rather because I think it calls out, quite correctly, that the entire multi-stakeholder community (not just NCSG) has lost control of ICANN.  Indeed, I think that for the most part the Board is losing control of ICANN and the bureaucracy has become a self-licking ice cream cone.  When we went through the CCWG-A process I thought the enforcement mechanisms for SO/AC/SG/G control were too weak and now it seems we are watching that play out in real time.

Sadly, I can identify the problem, but I can’t see a way forward toward a solution just yet.  I do think, FWIW, that this issue of the erosion of multi-stakeholder control is THE single most important issue facing ICANN today.  When the elections are done, I would urge the NCSG and/or GNSO to try to jump start a strategic brainstorming process with an eye toward offering possible solutions.  I know I would participate in the effort …

Cheers

Paul

Paul Rosenzweig

 <mailto:paul.rosenzweig at redbranchconsulting.com> paul.rosenzweig at redbranchconsulting.com

O: +1 (202) 547-0660

M: +1 (202) 329-9650

VOIP: +1 (202) 738-1739

 <http://www.redbranchconsulting.com/> www.redbranchconsulting.com

My PGP Key:  <https://keys.mailvelope.com/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x9A830097CA066684> https://keys.mailvelope.com/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x9A830097CA066684

From: NCSG-Discuss <NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> On Behalf Of Ayden Férdeline
Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2019 10:53 AM
To: NCSG-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: ICANN and Economics

It is a good piece; thank you for sharing it, Paul.

However the ICANN community has identified some of these issues before. Last year, every single public comment filed by an SO/AC/SG/C objected to the continued increase in staff remuneration, noting it was unsustainable. An issue seems to be with the overall accountability, or lack thereof, of ICANN org, as community input can so easily be cast aside.

I do not know how we address this. It seems apparent to me that most consultation processes that ICANN org runs are box ticking activities rather than genuine attempts to engage with the public and to receive input.

Ayden Férdeline 

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

On Wednesday, 5 June 2019 16:33, farzaneh badii <farzaneh.badii at GMAIL.COM <mailto:farzaneh.badii at GMAIL.COM> > wrote:

Thanks Paul.

I also agree with some of his arguments. But regarding this part: 

"The stakeholder community that was supposed to serve as the check and balance on the ICANN organization has gone AWOL — bought off by the promise of a pittance and sung to sleep by fanciful lullabies of castles in the sky. "

Was there a public comment period about the fanciful lullabies of castles in the sky? I don't think NCSG got the memo about that offering :) 

I think we are falling short of serving checks and balances on ICANN but the problem is also that we are institutionally trapped, the more powerful stakeholders have a lot of influence on ICANN org and we have groups that have no mission whatsoever but to protect ICANN org and the status quo. There has to be some way to change this.

Farzaneh

On Wed, Jun 5, 2019 at 9:41 AM Paul Rosenzweig <paul.rosenzweig at redbranchconsulting.com <mailto:paul.rosenzweig at redbranchconsulting.com> > wrote:

All

This article is worth a read.  The author, Greg Thomas, used to work for

Verisign.  These days he observes ICANN from the outside.  While I do not

endorse the entirety of his analysis, he raises some troubling questions

about ICANN's budgetary planning:

https://medium.com/the-query/icann-and-voodoo-economics-in-wonderland-e76c4c <https://medium.com/the-query/icann-and-voodoo-economics-in-wonderland-e76c4cb82c69?source=friends_link&sk=4a58165ab8445fca613bab1128ef5cf1> 
b82c69?source=friends_link&sk=4a58165ab8445fca613bab1128ef5cf1

Paul

Paul Rosenzweig

Red Branch Consulting, PLLC

509 C St. NE

Washington, DC 20002

paul.rosenzweig at redbranchconsulting.com <mailto:paul.rosenzweig at redbranchconsulting.com> 

O: +1 (202) 547-0660

M: +1 (202) 329-9650

VOIP: +1 (202) 738-1739

www.redbranchconsulting.com <http://www.redbranchconsulting.com> 

www.paulrosenzweigesq.com <http://www.paulrosenzweigesq.com>  

My PGP Key:

https://keys.mailvelope.com/pks/lookup?op=get <https://keys.mailvelope.com/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x9A830097CA066684> &search=0x9A830097CA066684

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ncsg.is/pipermail/ncsg-discuss/attachments/20190606/8d51a681/attachment.htm>