>CDT POLICY POST Volume 6, Number 12 June 28, 2000 > >A BRIEFING ON PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES AFFECTING CIVIL LIBERTIES ONLINE >from >THE CENTER FOR DEMOCRACY AND TECHNOLOGY > >CONTENTS: >(1) Become a "Cybercitizen" - Register to Vote in the ICANN Elections! >(2) How to Become an ICANN Member & Register to Vote >(3) How the ICANN Election Will Work >(4) More Background on ICANN >____________________________________________________________ > >(1) BECOME A "CYBERCITIZEN" - REGISTER TO VOTE IN THE ICANN ELECTIONS! > >An election vitally important for the future of the Internet is getting >underway. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), >an international nonprofit body that makes important technical decisions for >the Internet, is organizing a global election for its Board of Directors. > >The ICANN Board makes decisions on such crucial issues as the addition of >new Top Level Domains (such as ".store" and ".banc") and the resolution of >trademark disputes involving domain names. ICANN also oversees the >assignment of domain names and Internet Protocol numbers, which some compare >to "real estate" on the Internet; they are your "location" online. > >Although ICANN's mission is supposed to be strictly technical, its decisions >will indirectly influence the openness of the Internet and have the >potential to raise critical free speech, privacy and other civil liberties >issues. > >Moreover, there are some who would want ICANN to take on a broader role -- >one that would directly place it in the position of making policy decisions >affecting free speech and privacy. > >CDT is urging all Netizens to register and vote to protect the open, >decentralized nature of the Internet -- and hold ICANN to a narrow, >technical mission. >____________________________________________________________ > >(2) HOW TO BECOME AN ICANN MEMBER & REGISTER TO VOTE > >Registration is open to anyone 16 years old or over with a valid email >account and mailing address. You can register to vote at >http://www.cdt.org/action/icann and get important election news, campaign >information and background on ICANN at CDT's web site >http://www.cdt.org/dns/ > >Voter registration will be shut off at the end of July, so it's important to >sign up NOW if you want to be part of the voting membership. Elections will >begin on September 20, but only those who have registered in advance will be >eligible to vote then. >_____________________________________________________________ > >(3) HOW THE ICANN ELECTION WILL WORK > >The upcoming election is for five new "At-Large" directors, representing >ordinary Internet users. The process is intended to select five directors, >one from each of five different regions of the world -- Africa, Asia/ >Pacific, Europe, Latin America/Caribbean, and North America. The five will >join 9 existing directors that have already been appointed by the technical, >business and nonprofit organizations that participate in ICANN, four members >of ICANN's initial board whose terms have been extended, and the ICANN >president. > >This is ICANN's first election, and the first online, global election ever. >It will set the standard by which future online elections are judged and it >will be an important test of whether ICANN can function as a body >representing the public interest. CDT believes that it is vitally important >that as many Netizens as possible get involved, so that we can ensure the >public's voice is heard in the future of ICANN. > >Although the voting process hasn't been finalized yet, in the most likely >voting scheme, you (as a voting member of ICANN) would be asked to indicate >your favorite choices for director from a list of nominees. Some of these >candidates will be nominated by an ICANN committee, others will petition to >get on the ballot. You would list your choices for director in order of >preference, and the winners of the election would be the candidates with the >highest and most consistent ratings. >___________________________________________________________ > >(4) MORE BACKGROUND ON ICANN > >ICANN was formed in October 1998 to transfer management of the domain name >system from the US government to a private, nonprofit organization. ICANN >consists of a board of directors, three Supporting Organizations, several >advisory committees and an At Large membership. (An organizational chart is >available at http://www.icann.org/general/icann-org-chart_frame.htm) > >CDT has been very active in monitoring ICANN and in participating in its >development. In March, CDT and Common Cause issued a report on ICANN in >which we pushed for the direct, democratic election of directors by the >public, and urged ICANN to limit itself to its narrow, technical mission. >The report is available at http://www.cdt.org/dns/icann/study/ > >Register to vote at >http://www.cdt.org/action/icann/ > >More background information on ICANN is available at >http://www.cdt.org/dns/icann. > >For an introduction to domain-name issues, read "Your Place in Cyberspace", >at http://www.cdt.org/dns/yourplace/ >_____________________________________________________________ > > >Detailed information about online civil liberties issues may be found at >http://www.cdt.org/. > >This document may be redistributed freely in full or linked to >http://www.cdt.org/publications/pp_6.12.shtml. > >Excerpts may be re-posted with prior permission of [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Policy Post 6.12 Copyright 2000 Center for Democracy and Technology > >-- >To subscribe to CDT's Activist Network, sign up at: > http://www.cdt.org/join/ > >If you ever wish to remove yourself from the list, unsubscribe at: > http://www.cdt.org/action/unsubscribe.shtml > >If you just want to change your address, you should unsubscribe >yourself and then sign up again or contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >-- >Michael Clark, Grassroots Webmaster >Center for Democracy and Technology >1634 Eye Street NW, Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20006 >voice: 202-637-9800 fax: 202-637-0968 >[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cdt.org/ >PGP Key available on keyservers --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Send administrative requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
