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CIRA Trashes ICANN’s Transparency Consultation

Earlier this week, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers launched a public consultation on its performance.  The global manager of the domain name system asked the public to comment on whether it has become more transparent and accessible as well as whether it has increased international participation. 

CIRA, which manages the dot-ca domain, wasted no time in completely trashing the consultation.  After noting that ICANN had taken steps over the past year to address transparency concerns, it states that this consultation "represents a clear step backwards in ICANN's journey towards becoming a truly transparent and accountable organization."  CIRA argues that there is insufficient time to respond, inadequate background documentation, no context, and overly broad questions.  Given the shortcomings, CIRA states that:

Due to the poor design and implementation of this Request for Public Comments we, as most serious stakeholders should, see few – if any – advantages to contributing to this effort which cannot produce any usable results while potentially further alienating constituents.

Internet governance is often characterized by diplomatic doubletalk.  Nice to see CIRA taking an immediate public stand and leaving no doubt about its views of this particular ICANN process.

2 Comments

  1. Kimberly Smith says:

    Open Source, Creative Commons
    This is why I am a member of CIRA. This group of people understand what is really going on. Think Open Source. Think Creative Commons. Think conscious, proactive, visionary evolution. ICANN? Give me a break. Give us all a break.

  2. What?
    Speaking about understanding: how about retyping your post with coherent sentences and correct grammar so we can understand what you’re trying to say.