<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Dear Seda and Esteemed UASG Members,</p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">I hope this message finds you
well. I want to express my appreciation for ICANN's dedication to enhancing
transparency and accountability within the Multistakeholder ecosystem. However,
I have some concerns regarding the process outlined for submitting our
Statements of Interest (SOIs) to retain access to UASG mailing lists.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While I understand the importance of verifying our continued
interest in receiving information from the UASG, I must highlight that the
current practice diverges significantly from established ICANN standards. For
instance, the SOIs for groups like the GNSO were developed collaboratively by a
small team and approved by the community before implementation. In contrast,
UASG is requesting members to submit their SOIs through a third-party service
provider, Smart Sheet, which raises questions about data privacy and security. In
all ICANN groups SOI data always remain within ICANN systems and not on any third
party vendor.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The selection of a third-party vendor for collecting
sensitive information is concerning, especially considering the General Data
Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) compliance implications. I seek assurance and
information from UASG regarding how the measures are in place to safeguard our
data and prevent its misuse for commercial purposes by either UASG or its
contracted parties.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Furthermore, I question why UASG opted for a separate
submission process instead of linking our existing SOIs from the ICANN
community platform, which is the standard practice across various ICANN groups.
The discrepancies in the questions included in the UASG SOI form compared to
other ICANN groups raise additional concerns about consistency and alignment
with community-approved standards.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">I urge UASG leadership to provide clarity on the
decision-making process behind the chosen submission method and address the
privacy and security concerns raised by members. Transparency and
accountability are essential values that must guide our actions within the
ICANN community, and I believe it is crucial to ensure that all practices
adhere to these principles.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Thank you for your attention to these matters, and I look
forward to your prompt response of these concerns.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Sincerely,</p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:11.75pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Marc Miller</p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:11.75pt;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Sr. Director</p></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, Mar 21, 2024 at 3:35 PM Seda Akbulut via UA-discuss <<a href="mailto:ua-discuss@icann.org">ua-discuss@icann.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div class="msg3451719484184430617">





<div lang="en-TR" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<div class="m_3451719484184430617WordSection1">
<p style="margin:0cm"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Dear UASG members,</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">We hope this email finds you well. As part of ICANN’s ongoing efforts to enhance transparency and accountability within the multistakeholder ecosystem, we are reaching out to verify
 your continued interest in receiving information from the UASG. To retain access to UASG mailing lists, you must submit your Statement of Interest (SOI) by 15 May, 2024. This practice is consistent with other groups of the ICANN community (e.g., see
</span><a href="https://community.icann.org/display/gnsosoi/New+SOIs" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)">SOIs for GNSO</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">, or click “New SOIs” on the left menu
</span><a href="https://community.icann.org/display/gnsosoi" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)">here</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">.)</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">The SOI form is available at
</span><a href="https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/725e244f1369423182ea1bf932df6962" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:rgb(11,87,208)">https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/725e244f1369423182ea1bf932df6962</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">If you are unable to complete your SOI by 15 May 2024 deadline, you will be unsubscribed from all UASG email lists. However, you can resubscribe at a later time by submitting your
 SOI.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">ICANN will publicly publish the received SOIs at
</span><a href="https://uasg.tech/member-area/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)">https://uasg.tech/member-area/</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">.   </span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">We sincerely appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this matter. Your participation is instrumental in building a more transparent and robust community. If you have any
 questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at </span><a href="mailto:info@uasg.tech" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(17,85,204)">info@uasg.tech</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">. </span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to your valuable contributions.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Best regards,</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0cm"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">UASG Leadership Team</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>

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