Radically High Independent Objector Budget Will Chill Free Expression on the Internet

[Robin Gross <robin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This comment is to raise concern over the $25 million budgeted for an 
Independent Objector to process objections to domain names.  This amount seems 
enormously high and will need to be justified 
by looking for objections to file, where there might not otherwise be a 
legitimate reason to object.  Setting too high of a budget will have the effect 
of chilling speech on the Internet and sets a poor example for a global 
governance institution.  Even with including all the opportunities provided to 
GAC and ALAC to object to a domain name, providing $25 million to this effort 
encourages objections based on arbitrary and authoritarian interests. Frankly 
ICANN should not be in the business of suppressing unpopular ideas and this 
high budget will do just that.

Thank you,
Robin Gross