icc general principles for a dnso

Kent Crispin (kent@songbird.com)
Fri, 15 Jan 1999 09:15:01 -0800


Here is the ICC general principles document in text form:

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ICC DNSO Principles

These Principles are submitted by ICC as a potential input
to the drafting process for a unified submission of the
Domain Name Supporting Organization. The Principles can be
used for introductory or contextual purposes or as a
“chapeau” text.

1. Statement of General DNSO Principles

· The Domain Names Supporting Organization (DNSO) shall
advise the Board on issues relating to the Domain Name
System (DNS), which include issues of stability, integrity
and end-user concerns.
· The Names Council shall be nominated by, and
representative of, the stakeholder constituencies of the
DNSO and shall act as the coordinating entity and leadership
within the DNSO.
· Nominees to the NC must have demonstrated knowledge and
experience related to policy, legal, business or technical
aspects of the DNS.
· All Internet stakeholders shall have the right to
participate in the DNSO and the Names Council (NC) through
representative constituencies and appropriate representative
organisations.
· Such participation shall include representative
organizations of technical, business, policy, legal and
consumer interests that use domain names or participate in
operation of the DNS. (note that we are talking of use, not
necessarily ownership of domain names)
· There shall be broad international representation
within the DNSO and NC reflecting, at a minimum,
international levels of use of domain names and
participation in the Internet. (This should not be read to
preclude the participation of those countries/regions which
have not been able to fully take advantage of the Internet
because of financial or technical constraints in the DNSO.
The goal should be to develop a representative model, which
respects the geographic diversity and participation of the
world at large).
· The DNSO and NC shall seek to be independent and
establish principles and processes which are independent of
any single industry or interest group and must not be
susceptible to capture or undue influence by any sectoral
interest group.
· Individual stakeholders, whether or not also members of
a representative stakeholder organisation, shall have the
right to petition the DNSO directly on issues within its
remit.

2. Powers

· The DNSO and NC shall advise the board on all matters
pertaining to the DNS.
· The DNSO shall nominate three directors designated to
represent it on the Board.
· The NC, in consultation with the DNSO, shall develop
and recommend actions, policies and procedures with regard
to the DNS such as:
· recommendations with regard to the adding and removing,
operation, management, assignment and development of gTLDs
and ccTLDs.
· actions, policies and procedures to deal with
trademark/intellectual property and privacy issues relating
to the DNS.
· The policies and procedures recommended by the NC/DNSO
shall be promulgated in keeping with the need to
maintain/enhance the overall stability of the Internet and
its utility as a global medium for communication and
commerce among all parties.
· The DNSO shall have the right to comment on any
recommended actions, policies and procedures put forward by
other Supporting Organizations of the Board.

3. Membership of the DNSO and NC

· Membership categories in the DNSO should reflect the
broad and diverse nature of Internet stakeholders.
· Procedures must be in place within each stakeholder
constituency to develop a system of selection and
appointment of representatives.
· To maximize the benefits, effectiveness and breadth of
participation within the DNSO, participation by
representative organisations (including groups representing
individual owners/users) as opposed to individuals should be
encouraged.
· Each category shall be entitled to nominate the
specified number of representatives on the DNSO. The DNSO
representatives will be responsible for appointing members
of the Names Council. The representatives from each
category on the NC shall be drawn proportionately from the
geographical regions described in the by-laws.
· Objective qualifications for DNSO and Names Council
representatives should be developed.
· Term periods should be considered in light of
difficulty to get the most qualified people to serve for
long periods of time. Staggered 2-year terms should be
considered.

4. Policy making process

· All actions, policies or procedures recommended by the
DNSO and/or the NC must comply with both the DNSO and ICANN
by-laws.
· Such recommendations must be made as a result of a fair
and open consultative process with all Internet stakeholders
that may be affected by a recommendation.

-- 
Kent Crispin, PAB Chair				"Do good, and you'll be
kent@songbird.com				lonesome." -- Mark Twain