<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:#0b5394"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)">A lot of this conversation has devolved into a defence of ALSs, and I am hoping that that is not the sole focus on comment (positive or negative) on my larger point. The organizations that are ALSs can and should play a great role in Internet governance, and can produce some of our best policymakers and advocates. It is not a coincidence that so many of them are ISOC chapters, a fact that provides another nexus of participation in IG.<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)">However, I am asserting that dependence on the RALO/ALS infrastructure by ICANN as the source and destination for ALAC interaction with the world's end users is absolutely futile.<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)">Let's do the math.<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)">By <a href="https://community.icann.org/display/atlarge/At-Large+Structures">ICANN's own count</a>, only one third of the world's countries have at least one ALS. But do the numbers even deeper. Assume an average membership of 5,000 for each of the 130 ALSs, which based on my observation is REALLY generous. The means a current MAXIMUM reach of 650,000 people, assuming that all of them are engaged in their ALS's ICANN activity.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)">ITU estimates the number of Internet users at 3.2 billion, meaning that assuming 100% ALS engagement (which, let's face it, we are nowhere near) ALAC could be speaking to and hearing from AT MOST 0.02% of the Internet's users.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)">Not only is that number really small, but that 0.02% is not the mainstream of users. ALSs
are self-selected as having an interest in ICANN and/or
Internet governance. These groups already have something of a clue about
the issues by virtue of their interest. The <b>MASSIVE</b> challenge is to
reach people who are significantly impacted by the tech and the policy <i>yet
neither are nor should be involved in IG directly</i>. I am asserting that ALAC's challenge is to get the this <i>uninvolved world's</i> <b>informed opinion</b>.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148);margin-left:40px">The "<b>informed</b>"
part means that we need to get useful information out there, and by
that I don't mean just being another channel for ICANN propaganda, I
mean the information WE determine that the public needs to know even if
that knowledge is ignored, hidden by or embarrassing to ICANN (and there's lots
of that). ICANN has a broad communications and PR network and that's a good place to start.<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148);margin-left:40px"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148);margin-left:40px">The "<b>opinion</b>" part means going WELL beyond canvassing ALSs, by that I mean occasional big scale
Nielson/Ipsos type global surveys of the public mood, within the general
public that day to day doesn't (and shouldn't need to) give a damn
about ICANN or the DNS. One can have useful and necessary opinions about
what's wrong with the local highway system without being a road
planner, traffic police or auto mechanic.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)">Looking
at this as a RALO/ALS project is thinking WAY too small for ALAC to be
effective in truly representing the public interest to ICANN. We need to
reach out to a global audience of Internet users who will never even
think of owning a domain yet is impacted every day by the decisions made at ICANN
meetings. Abuse, confusion, speculation, the difference between gTLDs and ccTLDs, how to complain, user's rights, etc. There is plenty of information that ALAC may determine is useful to the public good that ICANN -- with its emphasis on the domain-name money path -- may not deem important. Then ALAC can determine the questions for the surveys, even if honest answers will be embarrassing. In the interest of transparency this is a huge missing piece of ICANN's pretence of multi-stakeholderism, and this feedback gives ALAC huge insight regarding what really matters to the public and where ALAC's focus should lie.<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)">Does the PUBLIC feel that a new round gTLDs are in its interest? Would it help or hurt their use of the Internet? Wouldn't that actually be really useful to know? Wouldn't this input give ALAC the gravitas needed when we wants to intervene in ICANN in a way that counters the industry inertia? Even the GAC doesn't have that.<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)">It's
not that ALSs (and even RALOs) don't serve a useful purpose. They don't serve
THIS purpose as they are too inside the Internet Governance bubble. We
haven't done nearly enough to reach the opinions of the rest of the
world, and "outreach" efforts attract at best a slightly more-diverse self-selected elite to the table. That's nowhere near enough and
we need to stop thinking within our little IG bubble. <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)">ALAC desperately needs to escape that bubble for it to be relevant to ICANN, IMO.<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)">Cheers,</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)">- Evan</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;color:rgb(11,83,148)"><br></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr">On Thu, 13 Dec 2018 at 12:47, Marita Moll <<a href="mailto:mmoll@ca.inter.net">mmoll@ca.inter.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<p><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">I would certainly echo
Suzannah's point. Here in Ottawa we are also trying to build our
community on the ground. It is happening but slowly -- one
person/group at a time. One just has to keep at it. But the
ability to broaden our reach with technology is crucial. We
don't have the funds to do a traveling road show. Not everyone
is an ISOC chapter -- so ICANN needs to make tools like
Livestream available to all groups and individuals in At Large
who are doing outreach. <br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">Marita</font><br>
</p>
<div class="gmail-m_7765096154071016258moz-cite-prefix">On 12/13/2018 12:27 PM, Susannah Gray
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<p><br>
</p>
<div class="gmail-m_7765096154071016258moz-cite-prefix">On 13/12/2018 00:51, Joly MacFie
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">> ALSes
as a conduit to their members</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"><br>
</div>
<div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">Slowly
but surely, at least here in NYC, the Readout program
appears fruitful in this aspect.</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>- And in San Francisco. As an ALS (San Francisco Bay Area ISOC
Chapter) we keep our members informed through the Readouts and
through updates about key ICANN issues on our website/in the
Chapter newsletters. <br>
</p>
<p>However getting our members to actually participate is a tough
call, mainly because it's quite hard to 'sell' At-Large and even
harder for those with little background knowledge of ICANN to
get up to speed quickly enough to be able to participate
effectively. <br>
</p>
<p>Cheers, <br>
</p>
<p>Susannah </p>
<p>—<br>
Susannah Gray<br>
President <br>
San Francisco Bay Area Internet Society Chapter<br>
<a class="gmail-m_7765096154071016258moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.sfbayisoc.org" target="_blank">www.sfbayisoc.org</a><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div><br>
</div>
<div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">j</div>
<br>
</div>
-- <br>
<div dir="ltr" class="gmail-m_7765096154071016258gmail_signature">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>---------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<span>Joly MacFie <span title="Call with Google Voice">218
565 9365</span> </span><span style="font-size:12.8px"><a class="gmail-m_7765096154071016258moz-txt-link-freetext">Skype:punkcast</a></span></div>
<div>---------------------------------------------------------------</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
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<pre class="gmail-m_7765096154071016258moz-quote-pre">_______________________________________________
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</blockquote>
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<pre class="gmail-m_7765096154071016258moz-quote-pre">_______________________________________________
At-Large mailing list
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At-Large Official Site: <a class="gmail-m_7765096154071016258moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://atlarge.icann.org" target="_blank">http://atlarge.icann.org</a></pre>
</blockquote>
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<a href="mailto:At-Large@atlarge-lists.icann.org" target="_blank">At-Large@atlarge-lists.icann.org</a><br>
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<br>
At-Large Official Site: <a href="http://atlarge.icann.org" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://atlarge.icann.org</a></blockquote></div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div style="text-align:center"><div style="text-align:left">Evan Leibovitch, <span style="font-size:12.8px">Toronto Canada</span></div><div style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:12.8px">@evanleibovitch or </span><span style="font-size:12.8px">@el56</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>