[NA-Discuss] Proposal for Discussion on Tomorrow's Call

[Wendy Seltzer]

Thanks Dharma,

This sounds like an excellent idea.  I think we'd do well to take
examples from this and similar planning processes -- e.g., what would be
contained in an "End-User Impact Statement" equivalent to the
Environmental Impact Statement required before US federal projects
expected to have such impacts.

--Wendy

Dharma Dailey wrote:
> Dear NARALO Colleagues,
> 
> Due to traveling I most likely won't be able to be on the call, but I  
> would like to put an item on the table for your consideration.
> 
> I would like to propose that a working group of interested volunteers  
> within NARALO draft an open document to help NA community networking /  
> ICT4D groups identify policies or processes of ICANN that may effect  
> them.   This, I think, would help one set of internet users in NA to  
> flag policies that may be of interest to people developing, running,  
> or using networks in under-served areas in NA.
> 
>   The document I have in mind would be analogous to  what planning  
> boards use in NA to methodically narrow down possible environmental  
> problems with proposed building development.       Planning boards are  
> comprised of non-experts drawn from the locality.   A document known  
> as the Negative Declaration, gives a series of questions organized  
> thematically such as "Would development of this project lead to more  
> than 50,000 gallons of flammable materials being on the premises?"   
> that help non-experts to identify the generic areas of possible  
> concern.  This allows for focused discussion of potential problems,  
> setting of priorities.  Further, the "Neg Dec" helps identify the  
> scope of the problem, by asking that anytime a "Yes" is found, the  
> planning board must decide whether it is  a major impact or a minor  
> impact.    Of course, I am proposing a non-binding working document,  
> that would simply help those who don't "know the ropes" of ICANN to  
> hone in on areas that need attention vis a vis the internet users that  
> they represent.
> 
> I think its a project that we- NARALO- has the capacity to do well,  
> does not require extensive resources- beyond for the *precious* time  
> of us volunteers! -- and would be a step forward in educating more  
> folks on ICANN policies within the NA context.
> 
> It would be great if we could work with ARIN on this to-- they are  
> resourced for education, have excellent people, and are friendly to  
> the mandate of educating people on internet governence.    Most  
> likely, 99.9% of such a document in the ICANN context would work for  
> ARIN policy land as well.
> 
> Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
> 
> Dharma Dailey
> Emerging Futures Network
> 
> 
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-- 
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/