[NA-Discuss] Post-Paris Review

[Wendy Seltzer]

Hi Folks,

Evan asked us to send Paris meeting retrospectives, so here's mine (to
NA and ALAC):

The Paris meeting was officially scheduled Mon-Thurs, with GNSO Council
meetings beginning Saturday and Board workshop Sunday. This was a day
shorter than previous meetings, and I found the truncation materially
cut into the time to meet for hallway conversation and move among
constituencies, which is, to my mind, the most valuable part of the
face-to-face  In addition, I was in board meetings for much of the time
and so unable to attend much of the ALAC meeting.

Topic areas:
new gTLDs, including IDN Fast Track
GNSO reform
ALAC review
Summit/travel policy


The meeting saw important, but over-hyped progress on new gTLDs.  The
Board approved the GNSO's complex procedure, complete with the grounds
for objection on "morality" and "lack of community support" grounds to
which ALAC has voiced its objection.  I thank NA members, among others,
for their work in drafting a statement I could reference in my comments
about the flaws in this policy.  Whatever happens, this will hardly be
"the greatest expansion of the Internet in 40 years," as an early
version of the ICANN PR crowed.  There is also movement on the IDN-CC
fast-track.

The Board held off voting on the GNSO restructuring, giving
constituencies and liaised groups a 30-day deadline to reach consensus
on alternatives.  I hope we'll get reports from Alan on the status of
these discussions

The consultants gave their report on the ALAC Review.  Many of us
disagreed with their fact-gathering, analysis, and conclusions!  I hope
we'll put those into constructive suggestions to the Board ALAC Review
Working Group.

The Board resolved to support the ALAC summit, remarking at the same
time that ALAC's overall funding levels were being reviewed in the new
travel policy.  If we have comments on travel policy and funding, we
need to make those heard.

Thanks, and comments welcome!
--Wendy

-- 
Wendy Seltzer -- wendy at seltzer.org
Visiting Professor, American University Washington College of Law
Fellow, Berkman Center for Internet & Society
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/seltzer.html
http://www.chillingeffects.org/
https://www.torproject.org/