[gnso-rds-pdp-wg] ICANN Meetings/Conversations with Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners

[Andrew Sullivan]

Hi,

On Fri, Sep 22, 2017 at 02:51:44PM +0000, Vayra, Fabricio (Perkins Coie) wrote:
> 
> I couldn’t agree more with Stephanie and find it incredible that ICANN, despite our ongoing efforts and the plethora of published community concerns, are continuing with the approach of rushing to discussions with Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners “half-cocked.”  Putting aside the apparent widely shared view that this approach is misinformed and dangerous, it’s simply redundant of and does not take advantage of our work within this PDP process  -- one could even say that it runs counter to the bottom up and community led initiative on RDS/WHOIS.
>

I don't understand what the problem is supposed to be.  We are a
duly-constituted PDP WG that is following the standard ICANN processes
for developing policy.  If other parts of ICANN want to talk to data
protection and privacy commissioners, or activists in favour of
publishing all personal data available in the universe, or privacy
activists who think the DNS should be closed in favour of onion
routing, or the committee of the Present King of France and the Easter
Bunny, why should we care?  In the event (for which I have diminshing
hope) that we publish a report that is actionable by the GNSO, the
ordinary ICANN policy mechanisms will grind forward no matter what
meetings people have had.

We can best contribute to that end, in my opinion, by focussing on
getting done the work that we are supposed to be doing, rather than
worrying about all the other things other people might be doing.  By
concentrating on this and making some progress, we might even reduce
the temptation of others to second guess this process.  At the rate we
are currently moving, we appear to be destined to deliver something
right after heat death of the universe, and I suggest that that pace
is partly because there is no issue on which people are willing to
focus, come to a clear conclusion, and then let that conclusion stand.

I therefore urge that we focus on our task and not make our job harder
than it already is by attending to outside distractions.

Best regards,

A

-- 
Andrew Sullivan
ajs at anvilwalrusden.com