[registrars] Dr. Michael Geist Candidate statement for ICANN Board Seat #14

[Bruce Tonkin]

Dr. Michael Geist
Candidate Statement - ICANN Board Seat 14

Thank you for considering my candidacy for the ICANN Board Seat 14.  In
this statement, I will highlight my experience and qualifications for
the board position as well as outline my chief priorities should I be
named to the board.

Background

I am a law professor at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, where
I hold the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law.  I have
obtained law degrees from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Canada;
Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, and Columbia Law School in
New York.  My work focuses on a wide range of Internet law related
issues including Internet governance, digital intellectual property
issues, privacy, and spam.  I am a regular columnist on these issues
appearing in media outlets in Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, and South
America.

In addition to traditional scholarship, I am actively involved in the
national and global policy arena.  In Canada, I am currently a member of
the Privacy Commissioner of Canada's expert advisory board and I was the
co-chair of the legal group of the National Task Force on Spam. 
Internationally, I have worked on Internet governance issues with
several organizations, co-chaired a major Internet jurisdiction project
for the American Bar Association and the International Chamber of
Commerce, and appeared at more than 150 conferences around the world
over the past ten years.

My interest in ICANN and Internet governance comes from both my
scholarly and policy activity.  From a scholarly perspective, I have
published on the ICANN UDRP as well as on the interaction between
national governments and ccTLDs.  On the policy front, I have served on
the board of the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) since
2000, twice elected by CIRA members and currently as the representative
of Internet users.  During my nearly six years on the board, I have
worked to increase transparency, public participation in CIRA matters,
and the adoption of policies that benefit the broader public interest. 
I also served as the Chair of the Policy Committee of the Public
Interest Registry's Advisory Council from 2003 - 06.  In that capacity,
I worked on issues such as UDRP and WHOIS reform from a dot-org
perspective.

ICANN Priorities

My policy work on ICANN and Internet governance issues have been focused
on representing the broad public interest.  With no clients with a
direct interest in the outcome of CIRA or PIR matters, I have faced no
conflict concerns and have been free to represent the interests of
consumers, Internet users, and broader social policy concerns.  While
that perspective has frequently focused on ensuring that all
stakeholders have an opportunity to participate in the Internet
governance process, I have also recognized the benefits to all
stakeholders of a competitive environment with minimal regulatory or
administrative intervention.

Having spent many years actively following and participating in ICANN
matters, I have decided to put my name forward as a candidate for a
board position since I believe that ICANN is at a crossroads with the
future of a workable multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance
hanging in the balance.  Recent events have left little doubt that the
prospect of increased governmental intervention into Internet governance
matters is a very real possibility.  I believe that moving toward a
government-first approach would result in less transparency and
opportunities for participation.  While I firmly believe that
governments have the right (indeed the obligation) to intervene as
appropriate at the domestic level, international Internet governance
demands that government be treated as one stakeholder of many.

While a government-led Internet governance system has its faults, we
would scarcely be better off if we trade the black box of government for
a black box of ICANN.  ICANN must undergo significant reforms to better
ensure accountability and transparency.  Potential reforms include:

-	greater freedom for board members to disclose their views and
decision 
making processes
-	more inclusiveness on ICANN press conferences and other
community events
-	earlier notification of board agenda
-	MP3 recordings of meetings and calls where possible
-	Greatly reduced use of board retreats and private
teleconferences that 
lack transparency
-	Increased assurance that ICANN acts first in the public interest

While working toward greater accountability and transparency is my
primary priority, there are several other issues that merit attention. 
They include:

-	address ICANN's ballooning budget
-	develop better relationships with ICANN stakeholders including
users 
and ccTLDs
-	close the loop on several lingering policy issues including
WHOIS, 
IDNs, and UDRP review
-	encourage greater innovation by promoting the introduction of
new TLDs 
with objective approval criteria

ICANN Qualifications and Conflicts

I believe my experience demonstrates an ability to work in a group
setting and an understanding of ICANN and its processes.  I am willing
to serve as a volunteer and to work in the English language.

The only potential conflict that I can identify is that I provided a
statement on ICANN on behalf of CFIT in its litigation with ICANN last
year.  I have no investments in any entities that transact with ICANN
nor do I have any ongoing agreements that provide compensation with such
entities.  My tenure with the CIRA board will come a conclusion in
September 2006.  I do not believe that I would be disqualified from
voting on any ICANN matters with the possible exception of the CFIT
litigation matter.
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: geistgnsostatement-2.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 32256 bytes
Desc: geistgnsostatement-2.doc
URL: <https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/registrars/attachments/20060526/f2a4699a/geistgnsostatement-2.doc>