The .xxx domain and the future of ICANN

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
Date: August 16, 2005 3:54:00 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Cc: lauren () vortex com
Subject: The .xxx domain and the future of ICANN


> From: Richard Perlman <perl () lucent com>
> Date: August 16, 2005 3:02:26 PM EDT
> To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
> ... the DoC could possibly exert political pressure on ICANN. If
> this takes place (or has already taken place) then it will give  
> fuel to
> those who claim that the Domain Name system can never be objectively
> operated while there is any involvement of the US DoC.

Dave,

Beyond the issue of DoC involvement, we are faced with the ever
more obvious fact that ICANN is not competent to be making these
sorts of decisions (especially given their ever-changing modus
operandi) that go far beyond the scope of the purely technical
matters that were ostensibly supposed to be their exclusive focus.
I agree that the "dot-ex-ex-ex" situation is merely a symptom of
this much larger problem.

I cast no aspersions on the individuals of ICANN -- I really think
that they're trying to do their best -- but ICANN as an organization
is inappropriate to most of the tasks and decisions now at hand.

The real question is who or what should replace ICANN.  You, I, and
others have suggested in the past that no existing organization
really fits the bill, and that we need something new and
purpose-built (e.g. in our open letter from http://www.uriica.org ).

However, getting any significant traction on these ideas has been
difficult and has left openings for existing organizations, all with
their own agendas, to try and get their own pieces of the action
when it comes to Internet Control.

It's time for another stab at doing this right, before it's too late.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren () pfir org or lauren () vortex com or lauren () eepi org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
  - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, EEPI
  - Electronic Entertainment Policy Initiative - http://www.eepi.org
Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
DayThink: http://daythink.vortex.com



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