[At-Large] ICANN's response to IANA Transition negative propaganda

bzs at theworld.com bzs at theworld.com
Sat Sep 10 18:07:34 UTC 2016


I think maybe you're being a little harsh Evan. It is what it is. It
answers a bunch of questions from the POV of "ICANN" (more in a
moment) and is well done.

My criticism would be more that at a few points it tries to predict
the future in ways no one can really predict like will ICANN relocate
outside the US after the transition.

Who knows?! "After the transition" covers the period from the
transition until the sun goes supernova extinguishing all life on
earth, and beyond!

Which perhaps gets back to accountability.

If, for example, points made in this document are blatantly violated
and there was no real intent to adhere to these statements, then what
happens? The day after the ink dries -- or put better fails to dry,
contract expires -- on the transition ICANN announces they're moving
the corp to Geneva. Then what?

Ok, it's not a contract.

It is a representation of sorts to the public from a particular set of
people at a particular point in time.

But it's not even clear whose document this is (this is the "more"
from above) other than "ICANN's". Did the board approve this? The
President and/or executive staff?

And it does have a lot of wiggle room.

For example one which struck me is "Will ICANN seek oversight by the
U.N. to maintain its antitrust exemption after the transition?"

It's a reasonable question but so is just the first phrase alone,
"Will ICANN seek oversight by the U.N.?" <full stop>. That's actually
what Cruz et al are asking.

But it pins that question of oversight to antitrust exemption only.

Most importantly is the question of what happens if the transition is
delayed.

The answer sounds like a big hand wave. It would introduce
"uncertainty" etc.

Makes one wonder if the actual answer is that other than the grave
personal disappointment of many who worked long and hard on this
transition there probably wouldn't be any significant consequences the
target reader might notice.

Life would go on, ICANN would take a public position that there were
too many open issues, the schedule was too aggressive, Sen Cruz is the
devil incarnate, and this would become the biennial sporting event as
each contract nears expiration until the sun goes supernova.

-- 
        -Barry Shein

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