[At-Large] [NA-Discuss] ALAC Draft Accountability Framework and Conflicts of Interest Policy

[Evan Leibovitch]

Hi Jacqueline,
> I do not think that we can say that an ALS is derelict in its duty if
> we haven't got the policy documents or statements translated in a
> timely manner, if we haven't got a primer written to explain the issue
> BEFORE we ask for comments on the policy statement. If they can't get
> this info out to their members, they cannot do what we ask of them.
Exactly. Anyone who needs more information on this POV is invited to
consult http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garbage_In%2C_Garbage_Out

> So I think that if Staff has any time at all, one excellent thing to
> do would be to prepare a "backgrounder" for EVERY policy item up for
> discussion - a simple 2 pager that indicates the basic issue, that
> includes a glossary, and is in the major languages. So that ppl know
> what the background is to the document that is sent out for comment.
> And then they can try to comment.

Absolutely agreed.

The status quo is for staff to tell us "there's a consultation on issue
XYZ and you need to respond by ...". This approach may work for
constituencies that have their own (paid) research resources and vested
interests to protect. It fails miserably for the public, which is never
going to read the current version of consultation documents and also has
a far more complex (and thus slower) task of educating and soliciting input.

Also consider that this level of information requirement, the reactive
one, is only part of what is needed. There will be -- there ARE --
instances in which ALAC needs to initiate the development of
backgrounders for issues of public interest that are not (yet) on
ICANN's agenda -- front-running, to offer just the latest example.

> And if after giving everyone the tools and supporting them over a
> period of time, there's no activity, then yeah we can do something
> about it.
We're certainly nowhere near that level of readiness, and I can't think
of any ALAC priority more important than getting there. There's lots of
time to worry about non-performing ALSs because it will take many, many
months before sane performance metrics can even exist. Right now,
defining metrics is a premature distraction. It also sends a clear
defeatist message that ALAC is more interested in assigning blame for
failure than in achieving success.

I prefer not to convey such an attitude.

- Evan