<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div>FYI: IP Justice statement on NTIA request for comments on IANA - ICANN.</div><div><br></div><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;">Robin Gross <<a href="mailto:robin@ipjustice.org">robin@ipjustice.org</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;">March 31, 2011 2:59:34 PM PDT<br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>To: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;"><a href="mailto:IANAFunctions@ntia.doc.gov">IANAFunctions@ntia.doc.gov</a><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>Cc: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;">Robin Gross <<a href="mailto:robin@ipjustice.org">robin@ipjustice.org</a>><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);"><b>Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family:'Helvetica'; font-size:medium;"><b>ICANN’s Responsibility to Respect International Human Rights Principles - [Docket No. 110207099-1099-01 /// RIN 0660-XA23]</b><br></span></div><br><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Please see attached Word file (and text below) comments from IP Justice<div><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">RE:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Docket No. 110207099-1099-01<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>RIN 0660-XA23<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Request for comments on
the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) Functions<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"><br></p><div><div style="font-size: 12px; ">
______________________________________________________________________________________<br style="mso-ignore:vglayout" clear="all"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">United States Department of Commerce<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA)<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">RE:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Docket No. 110207099-1099-01<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>RIN 0660-XA23<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Request for comments on
the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) Functions<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right">31 March 2011</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">Fiona M. Alexander<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">Associate Administrator<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">Office of International Affairs<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">National Telecommunications and Information
Administration<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">U.S. Department of Commerce<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Room 4701<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">Washington, DC 20230 </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right">Via email to:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><a href="mailto:IANAFunctions@ntia.doc.gov">IANAFunctions@ntia.doc.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="MsoNormal"> </div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><b>ICANN’s Responsibility to Respect International
Human Rights Principles</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:
none;text-autospace:none">IP Justice<a style="mso-footnote-id:ftn1" href="x-msg://255/#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:footnote">[1]</span></span></a>
appreciates this opportunity to provide comment to US Department of Commerce National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) regarding improvements
to the functions of the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and its
relationship with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
(ICANN).<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">IP Justice would like to focus NTIA’s attention on one issue
fundamental to all of ICANN’s responsibility -- one that impacts all of ICANN’s
functions: ICANN’s obligation to respect internationally recognized human
rights principles in carrying out its duties.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">With power, comes responsibility.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>As the organization responsible for the global governance of
certain functions of the Domain Name Space (DNS), ICANN must also be willing to
live up to the same high standards as other legitimate governance organizations
in respecting the fundamental rights of Internet users.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Until a suitable legal framework is in
the place that can hold ICANN accountable for circumventing internationally
recognized human rights guarantees, ICANN is in no position to receive
additional autonomy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">As a private corporation, there is very little to hold ICANN
in compliance with international legal standards and human rights protections
that nation states must respect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>As a private corporation ICANN does not believe it owes any legal duty
or ethical obligation to respect internationally recognized legal principles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some contend that the legal structure
of ICANN as a private corporation serves as a legal “loop hole” through which
the organization can escape any responsibility to uphold human rights in the
space where it governs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">ICANN’s connection to the United Stated Government through
its contractual arrangement with NTIA is one of the few ways that ICANN can be
held accountable to upholding fundamental rights and freedoms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The US Government is legally obligated
to respect human rights, while private corporations are not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>ICANN has provided mixed messages about
the extent to which it owes an obligation to uphold international legal
principles including human rights. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Legitimate governance organizations are rooted in legal
traditions that respect human rights and have means of enforcing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For example, the US Government is
prohibited from restricting the speech of its citizens except in narrowly
defined circumstances under the First Amendment to the US Constitution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Furthermore the US (and most governments
that participate at ICANN) have signed the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, including Article 19, which “guarantees everyone the right to freedom
of expression in any medium and regardless of frontiers”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Unfortunately ICANN remains unwilling to
commit to human rights principles, preferring to remain without any legal duty
or ethical obligation to ensure the public’s most fundamental rights are
protected in the critical realm over which it claims authority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">ICANN must affirmatively answer that it will uphold
internationally recognized human rights, but to date ICANN has flouted any
obligation to protect the public in this manner.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>At the Rome ICANN Meeting in 2004, a European Union Privacy
Commissioner said that ICANN’s “whois” policies violate international privacy
protections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>ICANN has done
nothing to rectify this deficiency of privacy protections in its policies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">ICANN sees no duty to protect freedom of expression in the
DNS either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Proposed policies for
new top-level domains that would prohibit “sensitive” words as domain names are
in stark contrast to internationally recognized freedom of expression
guarantees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Internationally
recognized legal principles of “due process” which ensure fairness can also be
easily skirted in a private corporation that believes it owes no duty to the
public.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately ICANN’s lack of commitment to internationally
recognized fundamental rights and freedoms threatens the healthy growth of the
DNS and the global public interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>ICANN’s structure must be rooted in a firm foundation and a legally
enforceable obligation to uphold basic rights.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>Today more than ever, we see the promise and the power of a
free and open Internet to empower citizens and strengthen democracies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And we recognize the critical need to
ensure the Internet remains an engine of human progress and freedom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Respect for human rights in the
policies governing the DNS is critical to furthering the global public
interest.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Since ICANN claims its objective is to promote the global
public interest, it ought to be willing to adhere to internationally recognized
legal principles that guarantee the public basic rights and fundamental
freedoms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Removing any duty or
legal obligation to respect human rights, which ICANN may have by virtue of its
relationship with the US Government, would leave the public defenseless in
cyberspace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Without a legal mechanism to ensure ICANN will respect
internationally recognized human rights, the same way a legitimate governance
organization must respect human rights, it would be dangerous to grant ICANN
further autonomy. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Respectfully submitted,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">Robin Gross<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">IP Justice<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ipjustice.org/">http://www.ipjustice.org</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div style="mso-element:footnote-list"><br clear="all">
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%">
<div style="mso-element:footnote" id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a style="mso-footnote-id:ftn1" href="x-msg://255/#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character:
footnote">[1]</span></span></a> IP Justice
is an international civil liberties organization that promotes balanced
intellectual property rights and freedom of expression on the Internet <a href="http://www.ipjustice.org/">http://www.ipjustice.org</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>IP Justice is a member of ICANN’s
Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) <a href="http://ncdnhc.org/">http://ncdnhc.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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