[CCWG-ACCT] Follow-up from the Word Internet Conference in China

Barrack Otieno otieno.barrack at gmail.com
Mon Dec 28 18:33:58 UTC 2015


In addition, we should be wary of the fact that too much analysis
always leads to paralysis.

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On 12/28/15, Seun Ojedeji <seun.ojedeji at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Dec 28, 2015 4:00 PM, "Roelof Meijer" <Roelof.Meijer at sidn.nl> wrote:
>>
>> I am getting rather worried about what some (unwanted) the implications
>> of
>> empowering the community through the CCWG proposals might actually be, if
>> I (try to) follow the reasoning of Phil and Paul. There seems to be so
>> much time in the community to ³chase every rabbit² on the basis of all
>> kinds of assumptions
>>
>
> SO: You can say that again, post transition there is going to be a lot of
> bosses within the community. The unfortunate thing is just that they will
> be acting on behalf of the entire community. I hope that we will have so
> much time to identify those acts within the community as much as we have
> committed to identifying every mistake/error (including those far fetched)
> of the board/staff.
>
>> Like Avri, I fail to understand the crisis over this. And I agree with
>> Tijani when he says:  "Fadi Chehadé would never accept anything that
>> leads
>> to an intergovernmental Internet Governance; at the contrary, I think it
>> is a way to reinforce the MSM in the advisory committee, and in the World
>> Internet Conference². When making assumptions, let¹s at least take one¹s
>> track record into consideration.
>>
> SO: In this process, the goal for some is not about building a better
> ICANN, but about building a breakable ICANN. Even though I don't agree with
> a number of board's comment on the CCWG latest draft, I can say I have come
> to understand why they commented the way they did.
>
> Regards
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Roelof
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 25-12-15 16:33, "accountability-cross-community-bounces at icann.org on
>> behalf of Paul Rosenzweig"
>> <accountability-cross-community-bounces at icann.org on behalf of
>> paul.rosenzweig at redbranchconsulting.com> wrote:
>>
>> >We must live in a bit of a different world, I think. Where I come from,
>> >any
>> >public official (and let's not kid ourselves -- that is what Fadi is)
>> > who
>> >did what Fadi did would be subject to discipline if not removal.  While
>> >acting in a public role, the official has no private capacity -- none at
>> >all.  At least in the world I inhabit that prohibition is so stringent
>> >that
>> >it applies even to actions that would be (under any reasonable test) so
>> >clearly distinct that the likelihood of confusing the public role with
> the
>> >private role was virtually non-existent.
>> >
>> >For a particularly telling recent example of this, consider this story:
>> >
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/meet-the-author-of-the-reve
>> >na
>>
>>nt--except-you-cant-because-of-his-federal-job/2015/12/22/32d632fe-a5c5-11
>> >e5
>> >-ad3f-991ce3374e23_story.html.  A minor Federal official wrote "The
>> >Revenant" before he joined the government.  Now, the book is a major
> movie
>> >just released today, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.  In the normal course
>> > of
>> >events, the writer of the book on which the film was based would be
>> > doing
>> >publicity for the film.  Here, the author cannot -- because he is a
> Deputy
>> >Trade Representative of the US.  Now, I don't know about you, but for me
>> >the
>> >likelihood that people will associate the movie publicity with the USTR
>> >office and draw an inference of official US government approval is
>> >vanishingly small -- so on the merits I would say that this is a place
>> >where
>> >the officials private life could diverge from his public responsibility.
>> >But as I said, here we are so cautious about even the appearance of
>> >impropriety that the author is not doing any public relations for his
>> >movie.
>> >
>> >As others have pointed out for Fadi the possibility of confusion is
>> >clearly
>> >much higher -- the press and the public will (and have) linked his new
>> >"personal capacity" job to his current status as CEO of ICANN -- which
>> > is
>> >of
>> >course exactly why he was hired and exactly what the Chinese wanted.
>> >Frankly, as Nigel said, I find his behavior troubling and remarkably
>> > tone
>> >deaf.
>> >
>> >I should add that the purpose of the restriction on trading on your
> public
>> >position works both ways.  We worry not only about the new "private"
>> >connection currying favor with public official, we also worry that the
>> >official may make decisions in his public capacity that are now to
> benefit
>> >his future private actions rather than the public interest.  It isn't
>> > the
>> >connection and the cooperation that is troubling (as Eric notes) -- it
>> > is
>> >the promise of future employment with unknown benefits that was made
> while
>> >the public official was still working for the public that raises the
>> >questions.
>> >
>> >Paul
>> >
>> >Paul Rosenzweig
>> >paul.rosenzweig at redbranchconsulting.com
>> >O: +1 (202) 547-0660
>> >M: +1 (202) 329-9650
>> >VOIP: +1 (202) 738-1739
>> >Skype: paul.rosenzweig1066
>> >Link to my PGP Key
>> >
>> >
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >From: Nigel Roberts [mailto:nigel at channelisles.net]
>> >Sent: Friday, December 25, 2015 5:47 AM
>> >To: accountability-cross-community at icann.org
>> >Subject: Re: [CCWG-ACCT] Follow-up from the Word Internet Conference in
>> >China
>> >
>> >
>> >> Are we tending a bit much toward micromanagement of the CEO?  I have
>> >> never been one of his fans, but this seems a bit much to make an issue
>> >over.
>> >>
>> >> avri
>> >
>> >This is not just a matter of judgment, but a matter of cross-cultural
>> >judgment. The CEO gets paid to get this right. And I REALLY expected
>> >better
>> >from Mr Chehade' in that department
>> >
>> >Actually, I would not have expected this kind of behaviour from recent
>> >previous CEOs.  Certainly not from Paul.  In fact not even from Rod, who
>> >  despite his public persona and irritating Hollywood rockstar ways was,
>> >in
>> >many was, quite sensitive to non-US cultures!
>> >
>> >In China, relationships matter.
>> >
>> >Appearance matters. A lot.
>> >
>> >Both of those things can be as important, if not more important than the
>> >'letter of the law' as to whose dime he was on when carrying on the
>> >discussion with the relevant actors inside China.
>> >
>> >The American way (and the British, to a lesser extent) is based on a
>> >cliteral interpretation of the rules (with a seasoning of 'wiggle-room'
>> >for peccadilloes).
>> >
>> >So while it's understandable to hear from some of you that you don't see
>> >the
>> >problem, some of us really, really see a big issue here.
>> >
>> >I'm not going to complain loudly about the ethics side, although I
>> >personally find it curious that Fadi was there on ICANN's dime, yet once
>> >again making announcements 'in his personal capacity'.  A CEO can never
> be
>> >in his personal capacity, in my view until he gets his cardboard box.
>> >(It was strange how the reporters describe him as ICANN's CEO, though.
>> >Oh yes, that's because he IS. Even yet.)
>> >
>> >The issue is that the head of ICANN, voluntarily handed in his
>> >resignation,
>> >choosing to leave early, before transition was complete, and in another
>> >revolving-door shocker joined an organisation with an apparently
>> >completely
>> >different world view, and chose Wuzhen to make supportive statements of
>> >them
>> >and their backers.
>> >
>> >Once again, 'it's not what they say, its what others hear'.
>> >
>> >UK public servants have a purdah period before moving to organisations
>> >that
>> >operate in the same sphere.  Why, in the name of accountabaility, does
>> >ICANN
>> >still not? (Have we forgotten and already discounted the terrible optics
>> >of
>> >Dengate-Thrushgate?). A mere xix months would not be onerous.
>> >
>> >Please don't dissect Fadi's actual words. They don't count.
>> >
>> >Hardly at all.
>> >
>> >It's the nature of 'who', 'where', and 'when' that counts much more than
>> >'what', or even 'why'.
>> >
>> >
>> >> '
>> >> And with that, I shall stop and simply add -- Happy Holidays!
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >Likewise.
>> >
>> >
>> >_______________________________________________
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>> >Accountability-Cross-Community at icann.org
>> >https://mm.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/accountability-cross-community
>> >
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>> >
>>
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>


-- 
Barrack O. Otieno
+254721325277
+254-20-2498789
Skype: barrack.otieno
http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/


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