Author: Sam Dickinson

Sam Dickinson is an Internet governance specialist having followed both the technical and political bodies surrounding the Internet for a number of years. Until recently working for regional Internet registry APNIC as its Internet policy and governance expert, Sam is one of the technical community's representatives on the United Nations working group formed to review the Internet Governance Forum (the CSTDWG).

A veteran of meetings in organizations as diverse as the ITU, ICANN, APNIC, the IGF and many others, Sam is a highly respected and hugely knowledgeable voice over discussions about how the Internet should function - and how it really functions.

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Story
25 April 2012
Don't text and drive: An analysis of the new IANA contract

The Request for Proposals (RFP) for the IANA contract has been reissued, with no substantive changes to the meat of the requirements of the IANA function, but plenty of additional contractual clauses added to govern the organization that performs the function.

The key changes at a glance:

  • Most obvious: date changes for the submission deadline (now 31 May 2012) and for the new IANA contract dates (now 1 Oct 2012 - 30 Sep 2015).
  • Most amusing: the Department of Commerce has, since the November RFP, decided that toxic chemical spills are an unlikely by-product of the IANA function and has removed the relevant contract clause (If you're interested, IANA contractors now don't have to worry about 52.223-13 Certification Of Toxic Chemical Release Reporting (Aug 2003)).
  • Most intriguing: the US Government's rights to IANA deliverables are reinforced in multiple ways, from Section F.5, "Government Rights to Deliverables" to Sections H.3, "Patent Rights—Ownership by the Government" and H.5, "Rights in Data—Existing Works".
  • Most likely to put non-lawyers to sleep: 21 new contract clauses are listed in Section I. Non-lawyers who don't fall asleep, however, will be rewarded by the idiosyncratic inclusion of Section I.24, "52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies To Ban Text Messaging While Driving (Aug 2011)".
Story
25 April 2012
How the re-issued IANA RFP differs from the cancelled RFP

On 17 April, the NTIA reissued its request for proposals for the IANA contract, having unexpectedly cancelled the previous RFP on 10 March noting that no bidder has reached its criteria.

We have carried out a close review of both RFPs and below is a full summary of the changes. We have also produced an analysis of what these changes may mean both for the current IANA contract holder, ICANN, and for the IANA contract itself.

Sections A through to D are unchanged, apart from fixing up a numbered list that included C.4.2 three times in a row, instead of C.4.1 through to C.4.3.

Page 26:

One new sentence added to end of Section E.1, "Inspection and acceptance":

"The Government reserves the right to inspect the premises, systems, and processes of all security and operational components used for the performance of all Contract requirements and obligations."

Page 29:
Story
5 April 2012
IGF improvements report finally published: a full analysis

The group tasked with deciding on changes to the annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has finally released its report, complete with 56 recommendations.

The Commission on Science and Technology for Development's Working Group (CSTDWG) improvements report is due to be discussed at the 15th Session of the CSTD on Tuesday 22 May at the United Nations in Geneva.

The working group began with a hostile and combative environment at its first meeting in Montreux, unable to bridge ideological differences separating initial proposals submitted to the WG. But skillful chairing, the movement of divisive discussions on "enhanced cooperation" to a separate venue, and increased levels of trust built between the stakeholder groups over six meetings finally helped produce recommendations that all members could live with.
Transcript
27 March 2012
The Internet Governance Landscape

[Copy of transcript and audio available on 12 March 2012 ICANN and the Internet Governance Landscape session page]

Bill Graham: I think we should get started, I’m very pleased to see such a large group here for this interesting, I hope, I’m sure will be an interesting session. I want to congratulate all of you who found the place, because I know there’s been confusion about the time and the room, and I truly apologize for that. But some last minute changes were required and that has been the result. But anyway you’re here and I’m very pleased to see you.

I am Bill Graham; I am a Director on the ICANN Board. Markus Kummer beside me is the Vice President of Public Policy for the Internet Society, and we will be co-chairing this event.
Transcript
21 March 2012
Public Participation Committee

Chris Disspain: For those of you sitting at the back of the room or the side of the room, you are very welcome to come to the table, if you would like to.

Sebastien Bachollet: I confirm. Please take a seat around this table. It is very important to have us in front of -- to have you in front of us, with us.

There is plenty of room on the other side of the room, and please come. Please go to the table. It's the only way we will be able to engage.

Okay. Please take a seat. We will start in one minute. We will be two minutes late, but I think the people are still coming in, and we have to figure out how technically we will give you the presentation, but as soon as it's done, we will start.

Great. Thank you very much. Everything is ready except a few people are still waiting to be seated but there is plenty of room for everybody. Please take a seat around the table. It is important. Really, please, take a seat around the table. The people who are far from us will be difficult to engage and we would like to engage you in some discussion today.