ICANN57 - High Interest Topics Review Page

*Confirmed High-Interest Topic Sessions (8 Topics)

*1. DNS and Content Regulation

Group: NCUC

Background/ Importance: ICANN and its domain name registries and registrars are steadily increasing pressure to assume responsibility for enforcement of rules about content on the Internet. We see this in calls for the cancellation or suspension of domain names associated with allegedly illegal or objectionable content hosted on a website to which the name resolves. This includes content that is alleged to be in breach of intellectual property rights, or that might contravenes national licensing or regulatory requirements, or might be in breach of some other law or social standard. The attraction of enforcing content rules through ICANN and its contracted parties is that they are a convenient gateway for access to most content that is hosted online, and if they can be induced to act, the complainant will be able to save much time and money in comparison to pursuing legal avenues. This applies especially to cases of cross-border disputes, where one or more of the the locations of the complainant, the website host, the website owner, the registry, and the registrar, may be different. But the negative side of this method of enforcement is that it tends to lacks the due process and accountability of domestic legal processes. If private parties are held responsible for enforcing content rules, they are likely to enforce them in the way that poses the least cost and risk to themselves, rather than in a way that upholds users’ rights to freedom of expression and privacy. This is especially so if ICANN or its contracted parties are held legally responsible for the registrants’ content in case of their failure to act.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: The issues surrounding this debate are highly pertinent to ongoing debates within the ICANN community including: Enforcement of the 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement Application of intermediary liability rules and safe harbours to contracted parties Self-regulatory measures such as the Domain Name Association Healthy Domains Initiative The session will bring together all relevant stakeholders and constituencies including GAC and law enforcement representatives, the Intellectual Property Constituency, the Non-Commercial Users Constituency, and the registrars and registries, to discuss and debate the appropriate role of ICANN and its contracted parties in relation to Internet content hosted at a domain. Although it is not expected that a full consensus will be achieved, the outcomes of the session will be a greater awareness amongst all stakeholders of the complex issues surrounding Internet content regulation through participants in the domain name system, which will feed into ongoing policy discussions throughout the ICANN community and enable more inclusive and informed outcomes to be reached.

Relevant Documentation:

Session Format: Panel or roundtable with cross-community representation

2. gTLD Marketplace Health index

Group: ccNSO, gNSO

Background/ Importance: track progress against ICANN's goal of supporting the evolution of the domain name marketplace to be robust, stable, and trusted. The marketplace consist of both gTLDs and ccTLDs. Currently the "gTLD Marketplace Health Index (Beta)" only focuses on gTLDs. there are various marketplace studies ongoing or concluded across the world. Staff report due on 20 Sept to the request for public comments.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: Create awareness on how the DNS marketplace is: strengths, weaknesses and the opportunities for improvement

Session Format: High level introduction by a chair, followed by a moderated discussion where the moderators ask members from the audience for input. Wrap-up and conclusions by the chair.

*3. How to do outreach within each SO/AC

Group: ccNSO

Background/ Importance: ICANN Meetings are a central principle of ICANN's multi-stakeholder model because they provide a venue for progressing policy work, conducting outreach, exchanging best practices, conducting business deals, interacting among members of the ICANN Community, including Board and Staff, and learning about ICANN. cross-community engagement and outreach were very prominently on the agenda of the policy forum, and this will most likely continue to be so in the future

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: Create awareness on what outreach means to ICANN, what has been done and what are the next steps for the SOs & ACs on this matter. What does outreach mean to each SO/AC? Once that question has been answered, one can work on a better interpretation of outreach, and develop or refine a strategy on reaching out to new potential members as well as to engage new and existing members.

Session Format: The chair sets the scene regarding the various initiatives, and the concerns raised about the level of outreach currently available. After the high level introduction, moderators take over ans ask the audience questions, and invite them to share views. Wrap-up by the chair.

4. ICANN Contribution to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda

Group: GAC

Background/ Importance: The regional fora represented in the GAC, such as the AUC and the Commonwealth, together with the GAC Working Group on Under-served Regions, may wish to consider how they can actively support a discussion agenda on sustainable development that intersects with initiatives (including those of the UN Internet Governance Forum) relating to advancing the contribution of information and communications technologies to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: TBA

Session Format: TBA

5. ICANN Support for Multistakeholder Initiatives for Advancing Online Child Protection

Group: GAC

Background/ Importance: The risks to children through the Internet is a pervasive and escalating global problem. How does the expansion of the generic top level domains provide opportunities for ICANN to contribute to enhancing registry safeguards against such criminal activity, to awareness raising of solutions to tackle this escalating worldwide problem, and to promoting collaborative multi-stakeholder initiatives relating to this issue.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: TBA

Session Format: TBA

*6. Internet Governance - Public Session

Group: CCWG Internet Governance / GE Team

Session Leader(s): Olivier Crepin-Leblond, Nigel Hickson

Background/ Importance: For the last few years, we have regularly held a public session on Internet Governance. It allows the Community to discuss and opine on important IG issues that will effect ICANN. The Session informs staff on the views of the Community as well as allowing us an opportunity of providing relevant and pertinent information.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: In addition to facilitating an information exchange and a dialogue on important IG issues (such as the IGF) the session at ICANN 57 will, we believe, develop further thinking on Internet Fragmentation (the suggested topic).

Relevant Documentation: This Session is partly predicated on the debate the WEF have initiated; see: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_FII_Internet_Fragmentation_An_Overview_2016.pdf

A full Agenda will be posted for Session but the two main Items are:

1. IG Update (including ICANN involvement at IGF 2016, at the CSTD on Enhanced Cooperation and on ITU's WTSA.

2. Discussion / debate on Internet Fragmentation

Session Format: We would seek a Roundtable Format to allow a constructive and participatory dialogue between respondents and the audience. We also envisage considerable interest in remote participation and also dialogue with remote hubs.

*7. Mitigation of Abuse in gTLDs

Group: GAC

Background/ Importance: Measures to mitigate abuse of the DNS have been incorporated into ICANN New gTLD Program subsequent to the Affirmation of Commitments and GAC Safeguard Advice for New gTLDs (Beijing Communiqué, 11 April 2013). While the effectiveness of these measures is subject to ongoing reviews in connection with the Competition, Consumer Trust and Consumer Choice (CCT) Review, a range of abuse-related activities at ICANN are still in development phase (such as the the gTLD Marketplace Health Index or the Security Framework for Registry Operators to Response to Security Threats). Considering the important public safety issues that are relevant to both the CCT Review and the development of the Security Framework, and noting the prevalence of threats as demonstrated by reports of abuse by specialized industry actors, a session geared towards updating the ICANN community and allowing for input into these ongoing efforts is warranted.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes:

  • Update of the ICANN Community and its SO/ACs on status of ongoing review activities including sharing available information on effectiveness of current safeguards
  • Update of the ICANN Community and its SO/ACs on progress of abuse-related activities that are still in development
  • Opportunity for the ICANN Community and its SO/ACs, including the GAC PSWG, to raise concerns and to present their views for consideration in the ongoing reviews and activities

Relevant Documentation:

Session Format: TBA

8. Operational session on KPIs, regarding ICANN's reach, spending, and engagement strategies

Group: ccNSO

Background/ Importance: follow-up from a session that took place during the ccNSO Members' Days in Helsinki. Representatives from various SO/ACs and community members attended the session, and expressed their interest in a follow-up. The Helsinki cross-community session was intended to start the cross-community dialogue on the operational goals, related key performance indicators and metrics of ICANN. This type of dialogue is meant to become part of ICANN's regular planning processes.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: Create a discussion on what ICANN is currently doing to measure it's activities and suggest key points to improve its operation

Relevant Documentation: to be defined. In Helsinki the session chair was Xavier Calvez, and moderator Giovanni Seppia (.eu) A similar set-up might be envisaged

Session Format: updates by ICANN (Sally Costerton, Susanna Bennett, TBC) with room for interaction with the participants. Moderated discussion

*9. Exploring the Public Interest Within ICANN’s Remit

Session Leader(s): Sally Costerton

Background/ Importance: Understanding the concept of the public interest within ICANN’s remit been a topic of discussion for many years. In 2013-2014, the Strategy Panel on Public Responsibility Framework explored this topic and, in consultations with the community, proposed the following definition for the global public interest in relation to the Internet: "ensuring that the Internet becomes, and continues to be, stable, inclusive, and accessible across the globe so that all may enjoy the benefits of a single and open Internet. In addressing its public responsibility, ICANN must build trust in the Internet and its governance ecosystem." While this definition has been well received, there is a desire to revisit. A high interest session took place at ICANN55, which helped build on previous discussions, but did not lead to concrete recommendations for next steps. Following ICANN55, the At-Large Advisory Committee created a Working Group to further explore the concept of the public interest. As the organization readies for significant changes in its governance structure in light of the impending IANA functions stewardship transition, it is important to carry the conversation forward.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes:

1. Further understand the historical and political nuances of the ‘global public interest’ in various contexts and regions

2. Reach a shared understanding of what the concept of public interest means in the context of ICANN

3. Explore how public interest could be operationalized as the basis for decision-making at ICANN

4. Determine next steps

Relevant Documentation:

Session Format: A panel comprised of members of the ICANN community will lead and moderate the discussion.

10. The role of the Non-Commercial stakeholders within ICANN. A dialogue to foster understanding and co-operation within ICANN.

Group: NPOC

Background/ Importance: The non-commercial stakeholders are an important group within ICANN's policy making processes. Whilst it is important to strengthen the group through the increased involvement and participation of civil-society organizations, it is equally important to strengthen the dialogue and understanding with the other stakeholder groups. This is in particular necessary in times where the internal operations of ICANN are undergoing significant changes. The event is designed to listen first to how ICANN staff, the contracted and commercial stakeholders see the role of the non-commercial stakeholders and in a second panel based round explores the opportunities for dialogue and co-operation.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: Strengthening the role and effectiveness of the GNSO in ICANN Promote dialogue and co-operation between stakeholders. Help to inform any upcoming GNSO reforms and reviews

Relevant Documentation: See the history of the GNSO in ICANN from his inception till today

Session Format: (all speakers to be confirmed)

Part 1: Introduction and housekeeping: Lousewies van der Laan 5 minutes

Part 2: The role of the No-Commercial stakeholders within ICANN. a) David Olive, Staff b) Steve DelBianco, CSG c) James Bladel, CPH d) Q&A Moderator: Lousewies van der Laan 10 minutes per speaker + 10 minutes Q&A, 40 minutes total

Part 3: Panel: A dialogue to foster understanding and co-operation within ICANN. Moderator: Edward Morris Panelists: a) David Olive, Staff b) Steve DelBianco, CSG c) James Bladel, CPH d) Rafik, NCUC e) Klaus Stoll, NPOC f) Tapani, NCSG 40 minutes

Part 4: Closing and Summary Moderator: Lousewies van der Laan 5 minutes

*11. Transparency on legal advice given to ICANN [to preserve its principles and openness]

Group: ccNSO

Background/ Importance: the bottom-up process and contributions via the multistakeholder model are the core of ICANN. Feedback and input from the community shape ICANN and its work.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: Start a discussion to propose ideas con how legal advice received by ICANN should be shared with the community and how the community can be enabled to express its opinion.

Session Format: TBC

*12. Underserved Regions in ICANN

Group: GAC

Background/ Importance: The GAC's Under-Served Regions Working Group focuses on regions under-served by the DNS industry, and on least developed economies and small island developing states. A particular focus will be on under-served economies/countries from the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) regions. The GAC Under-Served Regions Working Group developed a work plan along with scheduling GAC Capacity Building sessions with the ICANN GSE/GE and other ICAN constituencies in order to enable meaningful participation and more engagement by under-served regions members in GAC and in ICANN. The importance of this proposal is to explore and share possible initiatives that would assist Under-Served Regions in ICANN.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: Discuss on the 2014 ICANN report on the Under-Served Regions to what extent have the recommendations contained in that report been implemented?

  • The definition of Underserved.
  • Discuss other activities being undertaken, for example CCWG-ACCT WS2 (jurisdiction and diversity) and future gTLD policy (including the effectiveness of the Applicant Support Program).
  • ICANN's contribution to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. 

Relevant Documentation:

13. Universal Consumer Awareness about the largest ever expansion of the Internet

Group: RySG, ALAC, RrSG, (support being sought from the GAC)

Session Leader(s): Adrian Kinderis

Background/ Importance: On 13 June 2012, ICANN claimed a historic milestone for the Internet’s Domain Name System when it revealed that ICANN had received a total of 1930 new gTLD applications during the application period. On 6 February 2015, ICANN announced that 500+ new gTLDs had been introduced to the Internet, noting that the New gTLD Program is the Internet’s largest expansion ever. On 25 May 2016, the delegation of the 1000th new gTLD was celebrated as an exciting milestone in the evolution of the domain name system. Since the first TLD from the 2012 new gTLD round went live on (date), individual registry operators and registrars have undertaken various campaigns focused on selling domain names and generally raising awareness about the new domain name extensions; however, after some three years of operation the industry believes that there is still a need for a universal consumer awareness campaign aimed at educating Internet users and potential domain name registrants alike about the largest expansion of the Internet and what that means to them. Such a campaign would also go a long way to providing trust in the market place, and understanding, of the new domain name extensions and their legitimacy.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: To provide the ICANN community at large with an understanding of the efforts that have been undertaken by registry operators and registrars to date to market their respective TLDs and also educate Internet users more broadly about the introduction of new gTLDs. In doing so, identify the shortcomings of these individual and disparate efforts, with regard to providing a more universal and holistic program of consumer awareness. Consider whether ICANN, as the organization responsible for introducing new gTLDs, also has a responsibility to assist in this regard. Through interaction with the community and ICANN, explore options to raise consumer awareness in a more strategic and universal manner.

Session Format: Panel comprising:

  • a number of registry and registrar CMOs that can explain what they’ve done in terms of marketing and then go on to explain why this is different from a consumer awareness campaign.
  • government representatives that can speak to how they manage consumer education when a government introduces a new policy that impact a large number of their constituents, ie switch over from analog to digital television, Obama Care, the introduction of the euro by the European Union
  • ALAC representatives that can speak to impacts on consumers. 40 minutes for presentations and 50 minutes for community interaction

*14. Update on WHOIS-Related Initiatives

Group: GAC

Background/ Importance: There are currently several substantial Whois-related initiatives underway across ICANN and its Community: the Next Generation Registration Directory Services GNSO Policy Development Process, the implementation of the Proxy & Privacy Services Accreditation GNSO Policy Recommendations, as well as other activities such as the development of the Whois Accuracy Reporting System or the Implementation Advisory Group on the Whois Conflict Procedure with Local Laws. In the Los Angeles Communiqué (16 October 2014), the GAC requested a roadmap identifying linkages and timelines among various Whois-related initiatives. By the Singapore meeting in February 2015, the Board had provided a comprehensive briefing to the GAC while the Community was invited, during the ICANN52 meeting, to participate in an "All Things Whois" session. Currently, the PSWG is involved in several of these Whois-related initiatives that may have Public Policy and Public Safety implications. Through its contributions in these activities the PSWG has been developing positions and a body knowledge that could benefit the larger ICANN Community. A high interest topic session during ICANN 57 could draw from this knowledge and as well as the experience of the Singapore 'All Things Whois' session (ICANN 52, 9-12 Feb. 2015).

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes:

  • Update of the ICANN Community and its SO/ACs on objectives, scope, timeline, progress and achievements of relevant initiatives
  • Presentation of the body of knowledge documented in work products or discussions to date, including that of the PSWG
  • Sharing of views by the ICANN Community and its SO/ACs on challenges as well as potential synergies among all current initiatives

Relevant Documentation:

Session Format: TBA

15. What ICANN does not do and why!

Group: We expect broad support, do not have evidenced support at the moment.

Session Leader(s): Thomas Rickert / Lars Steffen

Background/ Importance: ICANN has been confronted with third party requests to take action to advance the interest of these third parties, may it be rights holders, governments or law enforcement or others. Some of these claims go beyond what ICANN is technically able to do. Some of these claims go beyond ICANN’s remit. In the framework of the CCWG, the community worked diligently to prevent ICANN from mission creep and to clearly define what ICANN can and what it must not do. The revision of ICANN’s bylaws provides an ideal opportunity to explain what ICANN is prevented from doing, be it factual impossibility or the limitations of its mandate.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: The goal of the session is to inform and educate about what ICANN does not do and allow for experts to provide the factual background to that. The explanations will be in plain, non-technical language and shall help the community to understand better and be able to communicate to the outside world what third party wishes ICANN must decline and why. Special attention will be given to filtering, blocking and content regulation.

Relevant Documentation: ICANN Bylaws Slides to provide visual aid in understanding the technical setup

Session Format: The session will be co-hosted by eco Internet Industry Association and the Internet Infrastructure Coalition. There will be short plain language presentations from experts from the two hosting industry associations. These will be followed by two interactive sessions:

1. Q&A and discussion of the technical background

2. Q&A and discussion of the policy implications Slides with graphics will be used. Roaming mics and support for interaction with remote participants are required.

GDD Track Sessions

 

16. CCT Review Research Results

Group: GDD

Session Leader(s): Eleeza Agopian

Background/ Importance: To provide a detailed briefing on the new research products that will be published in the weeks leading up to ICANN 57. These include: - Phase 2 economic study of the competitive effects of the program – this will provide a comparison over the 2015 publication of Phase 1. - Phase 2 global registrant survey: Nielsen conducted a survey of domain name registrants one year after the Phase 1 study to measure any change in registrants’ sense of trust and choice in the domain name marketplace. - Applicant survey: All 1930 applicants will be invited to participate in a survey inquiring as to their experiences during the application and evaluation process. - To better understand why more firms and organizations in the developing world did not apply for new gTLDs, the team commissioned AMGlobal to identify and interview might-have-been applicants. www.cct.wiki

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: To provide a detailed briefing on the new research products that will be published in the weeks leading up to ICANN 57. These include: - Phase 2 economic study of the competitive effects of the program – this will provide a comparison over the 2015 publication of Phase 1. - Phase 2 global registrant survey: Nielsen conducted a survey of domain name registrants one year after the Phase 1 study to measure any change in registrants’ sense of trust and choice in the domain name marketplace. - Applicant survey: All 1930 applicants will be invited to participate in a survey inquiring as to their experiences during the application and evaluation process. - To better understand why more firms and organizations in the developing world did not apply for new gTLDs, the team commissioned AMGlobal to identify and interview might-have-been applicants. www.cct.wiki

Session Format: Presentation and Q&A. 60 minutes.

17. gTLD Marketplace and Identifier Technology Health Metrics

Group: GDD

Session Leader(s): Cyrus Namazi

Background/ Importance: This is a session jointly-sponsored by the gTLD Marketplace Health Index and the Identifier Technology Health Indicators projects. This session will provide an overview of both projects and will provide an opportunity for interactive participation by attendees (likely through the creation of breakout groups).

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: This is a session jointly-sponsored by the gTLD Marketplace Health Index and the Identifier Technology Health Indicators projects. This session will provide an overview of both projects and will provide an opportunity for interactive participation by attendees (likely through the creation of breakout groups).

Session Format: Presentation and Q&A. 75 minutes.

18. gTLD Marketplace Metrics

Group: Staff

Session Leader(s): Amy Bivins (and possibly others)

Background/ Importance: ICANN recently published a beta version of the gTLD Marketplace Health Index for public comment. This is a community-wide initiative to develop metrics to track the evolution of the domain name marketplace to be robust, stable and trusted. ICANN will be working with a group of community volunteers to expand this Index with the goal of having a list of updated metrics finalized by the end of 2016. (This session could be expanded to be a joint session with this project and the Identifier Technology Health Indicators project run by Alain Durand).

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: Discussion of beta metrics in gTLD Marketplace Health Index and plans for expanding the Index through additional metrics and data sources. This session could have break-out groups who could work on proposing additional metrics in the three categories (robust competition, marketplace stability, trust), but planning is in very preliminary stages.

Relevant Documentation: https://www.icann.org/public-comments/gtld-marketplace-health-beta-2016-... It is expected that a preliminary proposal for updated metrics will be available for discussion at ICANN57. A summary of comments report will also be completed by 20 Sept. Parallel project that could be combined in this session: https://www.icann.org/ithi

Session Format: Presentations of recent progress plus discussions for future metrics (this could be done in breakout groups).

19. Introduction to PTI (Public Technical Identifiers): Organization, Reporting Relationships, Deliverables

Group: PTI, GDD

Session Leader(s): Elise Gerich

Background/ Importance: Introductions to the PTI organization, board, oversight relationships, responsibilities. Q&A and report on the first two months of operation.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: Introductions to the PTI organization, board, oversight relationships, responsibilities. Q&A and report on the first two months of operation.

Session Format: Presentation and Q&A.

20. New gTLD Program Reviews

Group: GDD

Session Leader(s): Eleeza Agopian

Background/ Importance: To provide the ICANN community with an update on progress made in New gTLD Program Reviews, as well as next steps as milestones are achieved. Major milestones to be reported on during this session include: Publication of CCTRT’s interim report with findings and recommendations, Root Stability Study interim report TMCH Review: Public comments received and incorporated Subsequent Procedures PDP WG: Possible early recommendations PDP Review of all RPMs: They may present interim findings and recommendations on the TMDRP GAC WG on Underserved Regions and CCWG on Use of Country and Territory Names: TBD Links: https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/reviews

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: To provide the ICANN community with an update on progress made in New gTLD Program Reviews, as well as next steps as milestones are achieved. Major milestones to be reported on during this session include: Publication of CCTRT’s interim report with findings and recommendations, Root Stability Study interim report TMCH Review: Public comments received and incorporated Subsequent Procedures PDP WG: Possible early recommendations PDP Review of all RPMs: They may present interim findings and recommendations on the TMDRP GAC WG on Underserved Regions and CCWG on Use of Country and Territory Names: TBD Links: https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/reviews

Session Format: Presentation and Q&A. 60 minutes.

21. Understanding ICANN’s Role in Combatting Abuse and the Scope of Relevant Contractual Provisions

Group: GDD

Session Leader(s): Allen Grogan

Background/ Importance: During a workshop at ICANN56 in Helsinki, the Board determined that it wishes to encourage and enable a dialogue with the Internet community regarding the scope of ICANN’s responsibilities and remit with respect to matters such as abuse, illegal activity, distribution of malware, abusively operating botnets, phishing, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement, fraudulent or deceptive practices, counterfeiting and similar matters.

Session Goals/Expected Outcomes: The goal of this session is to facilitate a clearer understanding among the community of the key provisions in ICANN’s contracts that refer to matters of abuse and the scope of ICANN’s enforcement of those provisions.This session will be a continuation of a dialogue on these topics that occurred during an ICANN56 session.

Session Format: Presentation and discussion.

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