[CCWG-Accountability] Membership thoughts

[Jordan Carter]

Hi all

I wanted to explain a bit more why I thought implementing a membership
system might be an addition to accountability.

The main point is in building an ICANN that is less centralised.

At the moment, in respect of policymaking, the ICANN bylaws set out various
requirements. E.g. my understanding is that the ICANN Board can't make
generally policy for ccTLDs except in endorsing the outcome of a PDP from
the ccNSO (I caveat it with the fact I haven't researched the bylaws).

There are other areas of ICANN work where there isn't external control of
the board. E.g. the budget-setting process, governing scope, and so on.

A lightweight membership structure that gave representatives from the SOs
and ACs (and maybe more widely, though at this point I don't see the
argument for that) a particular role at a particular general meeting (e.g.
approving the budget, approving new members, ratifying changes to the
bylaws) would provide new accountability in a fairly straightforward
manner.

Such an approach doesn't change the fact the ICANN Board governs the
organisation between general meetings; it doesn't create a split board
unlike Roeolf's proposal; it works regardless of whether IANA stewardship
is concentrated solely within ICANN or is distributed between organisations
as it is today. It's a model most people are familiar with.

In the discussion this morning some people offered feedback that it would
be complicated. I agree that there are some design decisions that would
need to be made:

a) what classes of membership are available
b) what powers do the members collectively have and how do they make use of
them
c) what majorities are required in order for decisions to stick

It would be straightforward and possible to make e.g. SO and AC chairs
effective "members" of ICANN (we define our own membership system). It
would be harder to allow individuals with some standing to join stakeholder
constituencies of voters and then allocate shares of total votes across
these in a fair way. It would be possible but mad to have a "one member one
vote" system where a ccTLD manager had the same say as an Internet user.

If this is a concept to explore and develop further as part of our work, I
am happy to help. I have direct experience of this at InternetNZ, and
through other organisations. I know many of you would too.


cheers
Jordan

-- 
Jordan Carter

Chief Executive
*InternetNZ*

04 495 2118 (office) | +64 21 442 649 (mob)
jordan at internetnz.net.nz
Skype: jordancarter

*To promote the Internet's benefits and uses, and protect its potential.*
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