ICANN board member Auerbach on ICANN actions

ethereal writes "This article from CNN science/technology describes Karl Auerbach's testimony before a Senate subcommittee. He says the problems which existed when he ran for office remain, especially the lack of open processes and accountability to the internet community at large."

Comments

Links to House & Senate Hearings

[Froomkin]

The full house hearing stuff is at http://www.house.gov/commerce/hearings/telecom0208 2001.htm.
And the full senate hearing stuff is at http://www.senate.gov/~commerce/issues/telco.htm#H earings. [NOTE: visiting the Senate committee's web site will produce a noise like a modem retraining. This is a feature, for no explainable reason, and just a sound effect. It's not your modem.]

I had the dubious distinction of testifying at both hearings...Since some of the above is in .pdf, here are links to HTML versions of my House and Senate prepared statements.

Spoke with Auerbach

[www.sorehands.com]

I spoke with Auerbach back in November.

He is a nice guy, and very sharp too.

I agree with the Karl, it's a hard job and lots of work.

You have to balance trademark issues with free speech issues. Then, having to deal with the issues of free speech for all countries. Then, dealing different trademark issues for all countries.

Not good

[RandomPeon]

It's somewhat annoying we only have one representative for all of North America on ICANN. ICANN needs to be a truly international organization, but it needs to be representative of people. Its constituents are users of the Internet, i.e. everyone. So its leadership should be elected by everyone.

We don't let corporations or activist organizations or unions appoint representatives to national legistlatures just because they have some interest in policymaking. Why should ICANN, the de facto government of the Internet, be any different.

Oh yeah: First post!