[ALAC] "Business" users (was Re: [At-Large] FW: Our choice for the ICANN Board)

Wolf Ludwig wolf.ludwig at comunica-ch.net
Sun Nov 28 13:17:43 UTC 2010


Hi Evan and all,

this debate looks rather strange to me: I think, on the one hand, we are all aware 
about strong business interests involved at ICANN. But I never had the impression 
(not to talk about anything substantiated) that ALAC represetatives are kind of 
"business lobbyists". Please don't take this personally -- I am convinced about 
Your - and other ALAC members and officers - *personal integrity*.
Just my 2 cents.

Kind regards,
Wolf


Evan Leibovitch wrote Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:11:
>Hi again,
>
>On 27 November 2010 12:37, Sivasubramanian M <isolatedn at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> >
>> > *As more and more at Large leadership positions are filled by people from
>> > > > the business constituency, It is becoming very important for ALAC and
>> at
>> > > > Large to preserve at Large as a user's constituency to TRULY balance
>> the
>> > > > business stakeholder group. Any leadership position within ALAC and
>> at
>> > > > Large should be occupied by persons with ample concern for the end
>> user.*
>>
>> > I must say that I'm perplexed by the nature of this question, and I take
>> it
>> > personally even though I am not a candidate for Director.
>>
>> Please don't.
>>
>
>I've changed the subject because my response no longer has anything to do
>with the election of Director. I explain this in the hope of changing some
>attitudes -- not about Director, but on larger issues surrounding the very
>nature of At-Large.
>
>Here is why I take this statement very personally.
>
>I work for a University, but I also own my own consulting firm and I am a
>partner in a startup venture. On travel visa applications my occupation is
>just listed as "businessman" or "consultant".
>
> My name has also been put forward to become one of the coming year's ALAC
>Officers, which certainly qualifies as an "At-Large leadership position".
>
>So I ask... Am I one of these "people from the Business Constituency" who
>needs to be balanced by others from a "user's constituency"? What views have
>I expressed in any policy work that would lead anyone to believe that I
>don't advocate from a user's perspective by virtue of my being a
>businessman? To what extent do my views need to be balanced ... and by what?
>
>I am simply making the point here is that drawing such lines in At-Large
>between "business" and "non-business" is needlessly divisive and impedes our
>ability to make progress. While Chair of NARALO I made sure that there were
>Conflict of Interest guidelines and that all individual users have to submit
>Statements of Interest. Employees, owners and agents of contracted parties
>may not serve any NARALO leadership position. I don't know what other
>regions did but that was our approach. As far as I am concerned, a business
>association (not primarily involved with Internet infrastructure business)
>has as much right to be an ALS as a non-governmental agency or ISOC chapter,
>and deserves as much respect for its views. That is what At-Large is all
>about. End-users take many forms and it it dangerous to spend too much
>effort segmenting them. The only business users that concerns At-Large are
>those that have contractual relationships with ICANN, those who want to have
>such relationships, and their resellers and agents.
>
>IMO we need to acknowledge that At-Large means essentially everyone who is
>*not* a contracted party. We're all end-users and our voices all count.The
>president of Citibank has to use his computer just like you or me, and is
>affected by spam and phishing as much as us. IMO segmenting end-users, and
>going as far as saying the views of some users must be "balanced" by others,
>is what I find bothersome. Please reconsider this approach ... not just with
>regard to the Board member, but towards At-Large in general.
>
>- Evan
>_______________________________________________
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>ALAC at atlarge-lists.icann.org
>https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/alac
>
>At-Large Online: http://www.atlarge.icann.org
>ALAC Working Wiki: http://st.icann.org/alac
>

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