As a member of ISOC and a leader of the public policy track of numerous
ISOC/INET conferences, I recognize great value in giving ISOC chapters more
of a voice in the NCDNHC. The *membership* of ISOC has often been a
powerful and effective voice for civil society, for developing countries,
and for small business -- all the groups that often feel unrepresented in
the ICANN power structure. Unfortunately, because ISOC as an organization
has so often been aligned with trademark interest and pro-regulation
national governments, ISOC's members do not benefit from as much good will
of NCDNHC groups that they should. As an ISOC member, I am sad that our
organization has sometimes found itself on the other side of issues.
I would strongly support any movement among ISOC chapters to develop their
own voice in ICANN deliberations. The values of the membership should
become the values of the organization as a whole.
In the meanwhile, the issue of "stacking the deck" is valid. Therefore, I
hesitate to support giving NCDNHC voting privileges to all the ISOC
chapters. (The same holds for CPSR chapters.)
I strongly encourage ISOC chapters to loudly and clearly articulate the
values upon which ISOC is founded. ISOC is not a trademark organization.
ISOC is not a supporter of Internet regulation. ISOC is not a supporter of
powerful and centralized governance of cyberspace.
Getting that message out to the broader public in every ISOC chapter is
worth more than voting privileges in the NCDNHC.
Hans Klein
ISOC member since 1994
CPSR member since 1994
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Hans K. Klein
Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology
Chair, Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR)
Chateaubriand Fellow, Ecole des Mines, Paris
Contact information for calendar year 2000:
Centre de Sociologie de l'Innovation
Ecole des Mines
60, boulevard Saint-Michel
75272 Paris CEDEX 06
France
Work: (33) 01/40.51.94.34 (from USA: 011-33-1-4051-9434)
Fax : (33) 01/43.54.56.28 (from USA: 011-33-1-4354-5628)
Email: hans.klein@pubpolicy.gatech.edu
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