Re: [bc-gnso] ICANN and Ethics

["Mike O'Connor" <mike@xxxxxxxxxx>]

wow.  a tour de force.

thanks for taking the time to develop that piece, Phil.  great job.

mikey


On Sep 19, 2011, at 1:51 PM, Phil Corwin wrote:

> FYI, I have just published a rather lengthy opinion piece title “ICANN and 
> Ethics” at CircleID.com -- http://www.circleid.com/posts/icann_and_ethics/
>  
> I began working on this shortly after last month’s Washington Post “revolving 
> door” story, and it has been through multiple edits. The article notes that 
> the views expressed therein are solely my own and not those of any client, 
> including ICA.
>  
> The piece is very careful not to allege that anyone associated with ICANN has 
> acted in an unethical manner. However, it does take the position that the 
> business community generally benefits from its multi-stakeholder model rather 
> than a governmental regulator under UN auspices; that ethical questions about 
> ICANN threaten its independence and perhaps even survival in a period of 
> multiple major challenges; that its present ethics policy is narrow and 
> outdated; and that the Board should proactively undertake an initiative to 
> update and improve its ethics policies. In passing, I also note that many 
> parties beyond “contracted parties” now have an interest in ICANN policy 
> decisions that can raise ethical questions.
>  
> When I wrote the piece I was aware that NTIA was looking at baking ethics 
> provisions into the IANA contract renewal. Since then the EC papers have 
> become available, which also propose stringent (and somewhat misguided) 
> ethics rules.
>  
> I welcome BC member feedback on the article and the overall issue. Thanks in 
> advance.
>  
> Philip S. Corwin, Founding Principal
> Virtualaw LLC
> 1155 F Street, NW
> Suite 1050
> Washington, DC 20004
> 202-559-8597/Direct
> 202-559-8750/Fax
> 202-255-6172/cell
>  
> "Luck is the residue of design" -- Branch Rickey
>  

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