Support for Consumer Constituency - ACCAN
As one of the two original signatories to the Consumer Constituency, I would like to stress the importance of consumer participation, through the establishment of a consumer constituency, in the GNSO policy development process. As our proposed Charter states: The purpose of the Consumers Constituency is to be the conduit for public interests as they relate to ICANN’s legal mandate in maintaining safety and stability of the Internet. Major areas of consumer interest are fraud, spam, phishing, identity theft, and privacy. The focus of the Consumers Constituency is to ensure that safety, security and stability regarding the Domain Name System (DNS) are adequately represented within ICANN policy development With the increasing importance of the Internet in the lives of the global population, there must be global consumer voices to represent their interest within the GNSO policy making development process. The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) is a large peak body, representing a range of consumer groups on communications issues. As the ACCAN CEO Allan Asher said to me, supporting my representation of ACCAN to ICANN, the ISO became a far more representative and consumer aware organisation once it established its consumer policy organisation (COPOLO) within its structure (Mr Asher is a member of that body). Equally, there should be consumer voices within the GNSO, as ICANN's policy making body. I am in the process of contacting other consumer organisations in the UK and Honk Kong, and I know other are doing the same elsewhere. As the organisaitons become aware of the potential impact of ICANN policies on the Internet, they become very interested in being involved in those policy debates. However, I am faced with the same issue each time I am asked how organisations can participate - it is difficult to ask organisations to join something that does not exist, particularly where support arrangements are not clear and membership not confirmed. I strongly support the establishment of this constituency to ensure the voices of the diversity of consumer organisations will be heard. Kind regards Holly Raiche Executive Director, Internet Society of Australia (ISOC-AU) ed@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Mob: 0412 688 544 Ph: (02) 9436 2149 The Internet is For Everyone |