The Berkman study group has assembled a chart at http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rcs/models.html of some sample membership models for ICANN. We describe three models representing points along a spectrum -- open, individual, and organizational membership -- and set them out as strawmen for criticism and suggestion. To summarize the models: OPEN: Membership is tied only to an email address, with no further restrictions. Individuals and organizations can become members on equal footing. All have the opportunity to vote for directors, propose policy, and ratify changes to ICANN's structure. This model's simplicity makes its operation transparent. It also imposes minimal administrative burdens on ICANN, as it does not require registration or verification. The model does not give ICANN regular contact with its members or a listing of members. They are known only through their participation in elections. There is no attempt to limit multiple voting through the creation of multiple email addresses. INDIVIDUAL: The rights of Internet users are this model's first principle. ICANN's decisions, though technical at the basic level of domain name and IP allocations, will strongly affect the individual users of the Internet and need to be openly accountable to a wide, active, and diverse set of members. Membership in this model is conceived as a fundamental, worldwide right and individuals make up the primary membership class. Anti-fraud measures include a prohibition against multiple registrations by one individual, with identifiers of name, phone number, address and email. Individual members have the power to vote for at-large board members (corporations and NGOs do not vote). Individuals vote to ratify changes to articles, receive regular information on ICANN activities, and may propose policy. ORGANIZATIONAL: This membership model seeks to recognize the significance of, and accord proper weight to, the interests of corporations, associations, non-profit advocacy and membership groups, and non-governmental organizations. Rather than simply relegate these entities to indirect membership in ICANN through the SOs or through their individual employees, this model places them inside the membership structure on an even plane with individuals. This membership model rejects the notion that ICANN should somehow be based on democratic representation. ICANN is not a governance institution, but a narrowly focused technical body charged with certain policymaking and coordination tasks. This model is premised on the view that if ICANN is invested with a worldwide democratic electorate, it will be treated by realspace governments and others as a legitimately elected government of cyberspace. If you would like your comments archived on the Berkman Center site, please cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (and be patient). --Wendy Seltzer Wendy Seltzer Berkman Center for Internet & Society 617-496-0089 Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA 02138 [EMAIL PROTECTED] || [EMAIL PROTECTED] Representation in Cyberspace: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rcs/ __________________________________________________ To receive the digest version instead, send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE forward this message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNSUBSCRIBE, forward this message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Problems/suggestions regarding this list? Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___END____________________________________________
