Re: [gnso-restruc-dt] CIG and Individuals

[Liz Williams <lizawilliams@xxxxxxx>]

Robin

I'd like to address a couple of the points you make.

1.  I am one of the many individual business users who are members of  
the existing Business Constituency and would expect to remain so.   
There is no impediment -- linguisitic, social or financial -- to  
joining.  I expect the same would be true for any one joining from  
anywhere.  Indeed, we would welcome members from developing countries  
(whatever that means) and that is exactly the purpose of our Business  
Outreach activities in Sydney (as it was in Cairo and Mexico).
2.  I am a member of the BC Credentials Committee which has assessed  
more applications in 2008 than ever before.  The only criteria that  
we use to assess applicants is that which are published on the BC  
website. Big business is unable to keep out small players -- there is  
no mechanism for that to happen.  For the record, my two other  
Committee members come from small business and large multinational  
corporation.  You'll note that there are two small business  
representatives and one large business.
3.  You have asked what criteria that are published in advance.   
http://www.bizconst.org/  Being "big enough" is not one of those  
criteria.
4.  You asked whether there are any non-American European individual  
members at this time.  The membership list is public at the URL  
above.  I am one of the non-American European members and will remain  
so.  The artificial distinction of where one lives and does business  
is outmoded and irrelevant.  For example, I am Australian, conduct  
business from my UK base whilst being firmly involved in Europe.  I  
don't see how any of that is relevant except for ICANN constructions  
of geographical diversity which are designed to prevent white/anglo/ 
middle class bias.  We should get over that and look for quality,  
commitment, diversity of skills, different views and opinions rather  
than than who holds what passport.
Liz
...

Liz Williams
+44 1963 364 380
+44 7824 877 757



On 12 May 2009, at 19:46, Robin Gross wrote:

> Philip,
>
> Thanks for trying to clarify this, but I'm still not sure what an  
> individual business person from a developing country would need to  
> satisfy the standard and feel confident in applying for membership.
> The 3 individuals you cite below are all longtime ICANN-insiders  
> (current or ex-board members and counselors), so that doesn't tell  
> us much about how new small business people can participate in the  
> policy development process -- and that is the group that is  
> currently missing from ICANN policy development and we are trying  
> to bring in with this reform process.
> It seems like there is a lot of opportunity for existing commercial  
> participants (and especially big business) to keep-out smaller  
> players off the field and no intention of change this from existing  
> participants.
> Is there a standard of objective criteria that is published in  
> advance so commercial individuals know what they need to show  
> before they apply?
> Who makes up the committee that decides if an individual is big  
> enough to earn membership (any individuals on that committee)?
> Are there are any non-American/European individual memberships at  
> this time?
> Thanks,
> Robin
>
>
> Of the individuals members of the BC, how many a
>
> On May 8, 2009, at 5:31 AM, Philip Sheppard wrote:
>
> > Let me clarify the position on individuals
> >
> > In essence the rules for admittance will not change significantly.
> > Today individuals are welcome. The BC has for example Marilyn  
> > Cade; Mike Rodenbaugh and Mike
> > Palage.
> >
> > But before they join a constituency an individual must demonstrate  
> > "commercial intent".
> > That is judged (in the case of the BC) by a committee of members  
> > who assess commercial
> > intent on evidence provided.
> > That may be as simple as incorporation:  a sole-trader, an LLC, a  
> > one-director limited
> > company etc.
> > Other evidence will be considered.
> > If the evidence was "I once sold a printer cable on e-bay" that  
> > may be judged insufficient.
> > If the evidence is "I made $1m selling printer cables (or art) on  
> > e-bay from my garden shed,
> > that may be judged sufficient.
> > It will be a case by case basis with the default that satisfactory  
> > demonstration of
> > commercial intent by an individual gets them in.
> > Hope this helps.
>
>
>
> IP JUSTICE
> Robin Gross, Executive Director
> 1192 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA  94117  USA
> p: +1-415-553-6261    f: +1-415-462-6451
> w: http://www.ipjustice.org     e: robin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx