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<p>Anyone who is interested in New gTLD Registry Public Interest
Commitments (PICs) and Registry Voluntary Commitments (RVCs)
should tune into the <b>ICANN Board's Webinar tomorrow, Monday,
18 Dec, 19:00–20:30 UTC, </b>link at <a
href="https://www.icann.org/en/announcements/details/icann-webinar-framework-for-public-interest-and-registry-voluntary-commitments-11-12-2023-en"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://www.icann.org/en/announcements/details/icann-webinar-framework-for-public-interest-and-registry-voluntary-commitments-11-12-2023-en</a>
<br>
</p>
<p>This is an issue to which NCSG and NCUC have devoted A LOT of
time in the last decade. A dozen years ago, in the First Round of
New gTLDs, some horrible "voluntary commitments" were submitted by
New gTLD applicants and we have been concerned ever since.
Undermining the public interest, undermining fair and balanced
policies, and undermining the Multistakeholder Model <i>must not
be allowed in future "commitments." <br>
</i></p>
<p><u>A few of the many documents sharing our concerns:</u></p>
<p>In the last two NCUC Anniversary Issues Forums, we actively
shared concerns and urged ICANN to revisit the issue of PICs and
RVCs - and our session at ICANN78 in Hamburg is recorded and
available online. We are glad to see ICANN answering these calls!
<br>
</p>
<p><b>The Big Question Facing ICANN’s Contractual Governance Regime,
</b>Milton Mueller, <i>"Some interest groups (mainly Registries
and GAC) want ICANN to be empowered to enforce compliance with
Registry Voluntary Commitments (RVCs), formerly known as Public
Interest Commitments (PICs). Civil society groups and some
Internet businesses see in the proposed change a threat to
freedom of expression on the internet and an attempt to
undermine ICANN’s multistakeholder policy development process."
</i><a
href="https://www.internetgovernance.org/2023/06/15/the-big-question-facing-icanns-contractual-governance-regime/"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://www.internetgovernance.org/2023/06/15/the-big-question-facing-icanns-contractual-governance-regime/</a><br>
</p>
<p><b>The Sad Story of Private Public Interest Commitments (PICs), </b>Kathy
Kleiman, <a
href="https://circleid.com/posts/20200311-the-sad-story-of-private-public-interest-commitments-pics#fn6"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://circleid.com/posts/20200311-the-sad-story-of-private-public-interest-commitments-pics#fn6</a>
<br>
</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>The Webinar will most certainly be recorded if you cannot attend
during this busy days.</p>
<p>Happy Holidays!</p>
<p>Kathy <br>
</p>
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