#ICANN71 Newsletter
15 June 2021
TOP STORY
2021 Community Excellence Award
Marilyn Cade and Rafik Dammak are the recipients of the 2021 ICANN Community Excellence Award in recognition of their contributions, commitment, and years of service to the ICANN community. Marilyn Cade was awarded posthumously.

The award honors members of the ICANN community who have made outstanding contributions to ICANN's multistakeholder model of Internet governance, demonstrated the spirit of collaboration, and strongly promoted consensus.

Read more about the recipients and the selection process here.

Marilyn Cade was one of the pioneers of ICANN’s multistakeholder model who led and served in many ICANN groups. She knew how to bring together people with different perspectives, often helping to build a common understanding of each others' interests.

Rafik Dammak has served in leadership positions and as a member in several ICANN groups. He is admired for his dedication, facilitation skills, and his ability to work with a diverse group of ICANN community members.  
Rafik Dammak, 2021 ICANN Community Excellence Award recipient.
Marilyn Cade, 2021 ICANN Community Excellence Award recipient.
ICANN NEWS
Survey Results on Transition to In-Person ICANN Public Meetings
Public Meetings are central to our multistakeholder model. Our recent Public Meeting survey results show that the majority of the community is interested in returning to in-person meetings.

The Board will decide soon whether to hold ICANN72 virtually, or as a hybrid meeting with both in-person and virtual components. The results of this survey will be used as input into the decision, but not the only input.

Click here to read the full blog on survey results from Sally Costerton, SVP, Global Stakeholder Engagement, Senior Advisor to the President and CEO, and David Olive, SVP, Policy Development Support.
Learn about the Recent Changes and Improvements to the Domain Abuse Activity Reporting (DAAR) Project
The Security, Stability and Resiliency (SSR) team from the Office of Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) worked with the ICANN community and, in particular, the Registry Stakeholder Group (RySG), to implement various changes and improvements to the existing DAAR documents and communications.

Some of these modifications include an updated webpage, now available in French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian, and changes to the language and metrics of the monthly reports. Learn more about the current and future changes by reading this blog and check the updated April 2021 report here.
 
For more information regarding the DAAR project and data sharing, Domain Name System (DNS) security threats, and abuse-related topics, please join the DNS-Abuse-Measurements mailing list or visit the DAAR webpage, here.
ICANN71 TOOLS
Check out the ICANN71 Participation Guide for all the information you need to use our remote and language support tools.
PLENARY SESSIONS AND LIVESTREAMS
Selected ICANN71 sessions will be livestreamed on YouTube as part of ICANN's continuing efforts to increase accessibility. These view-only livestreams provide a low-bandwidth alternative for attendees.

Plenary Session: ICANN’s Multistakeholder Model within the Internet Governance Ecosystem
Tuesday 15 June
12:30-14:00 UTC

Plenary Session: Understanding Reputation Block Lists
Thursday 17 June
8:30-10:00 UTC
TODAY'S NOTABLE SESSIONS
10:30-12:00 CEST
08:30-10:00 UTC
Zoom 4

12:30-14:00 CEST
10:30-12:00 UTC
Zoom 2

16:30-17:30 CEST
14:30-15:30 UTC
Zoom 5

Joint Community Meetings

16:30-17:30 CEST
14:30-15:30 UTC
Zoom 3
HIGH-INTEREST SESSIONS
ccNSO: Members Meeting Governance
ICANN71 marks the third ccNSO governance session, which builds on previous sessions held during ICANN69 and ICANN70. The focus of the ICANN71 session will be on the proposed high-level structure of ccNSO membership rules. The new rules will have a direct impact on the governance structure of the ccNSO, including the ccNSO Council. The results of the session will provide the basis for further work on the new rules, which will be presented during ICANN72.

At-Large Policy Session: GDPR as a Technology - Policy Implications
The At-Large policy session will explore the implications of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the context of ICANN, such as the Expedited Policy Development Process (EPDP) on the Temporary Specification for Generic Top-Level Domain Registration Data.

This session will scope the potential impact that advancing GDPR compliance will likely have on Internet end users. It particularly seeks to explore the policy implications of a United States patent, “Systems and Methods for Preserving Privacy of a Registrant in a Domain Name System (DNS),” which was recently issued to Verisign and the level to which it might impact further work of this EPDP.

See the agenda here.

GAC Discussions Session 1:
Subsequent Rounds of New gTLDs (1 of 2) and Future GAC Meetings
New Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Subsequent Procedures, Registration Directory Services/WHOIS, and data protection matters are priority topics for the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC). GAC discussions on New gTLD Subsequent Procedures will include public interest commitments; closed generics; applicant support; community applications; GAC Early Warnings and GAC Advice; predictability; and mechanisms of last resort, such as auctions.

RSSAC Work Session
The purpose of the RSSAC Caucus Work Party on a Tool to Gather a Local Perspective of the Root Server System (RSS) is to develop a tool or set of tools that can easily measure the local perspective of the RSS at various locations, or points, on the Internet. The work party is finalizing an advisory that will:

  • Define a set of measurements that can determine the level of service provided by the RSS at a location.
  • Identify a target audience of these tools.
  • Identify a method to collect data measured by tools for research or reporting to RSOs.
  • Describe the benefits of these tools to users.

RSSAC Caucus members are welcome, and the session is open to observers. The work party statement is available here.

KEY SESSION RECAP
Impact of Regulatory Developments on ICANN Policy Topics
Agenda: Speakers from the European Commission and Council of Europe provided updates about proposed initiatives. If adopted, these proposals could change the current legal landscape as it relates to the provision of domain name services and domain name registration data collection, maintenance, and access. Following the updates, representatives from the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC), Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) and Root Server System Advisory Committee (RSSAC) reflected on the impact of these proposals on their work. 
 
Highlights:

  • Olivier Bringer (European Commission) spoke about the implications of the revised Directive on Security of Network and Information Systems (NIS2) on domain name registration data and the harmonized framework proposed for intermediary services and online platforms in the Digital Services Act (DSA).

  • Alexander Seger (Council of Europe) addressed the second additional protocol to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, specifically Article 6 about requests for access to domain name registration data, which would in his view be compatible with the System for Standardized Access/Disclosure (SSAD) recommended by the ICANN community.

  • RSSAC Chair Fred Baker commented on the extraterritorial impact of NIS2 on root server operators.

  • GNSO Chair Philippe Fouquart highlighted the ongoing Expedited Policy Development Process (EPDP) on the Temporary Specification for gTLD Registration Data in response to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as an example of ICANN community policy development in response to new legislation.

  • ALAC member Matthias Hudobnik explained the role of the At-Large community in expressing the interests of end users in ICANN policy development.

  • ccNSO Council Chair Alejandra Reynoso explained how specific country code top-level domain operators have complied with regulatory developments in their national jurisdictions.

  • Moderator Joanna Kulesza facilitated a lively discussion among panelists and participants about specific provisions in the NIS2, DSA, and Budapest Convention, reflecting on the ICANN community experiences with the GDPR, EPDP, and SSAD.
 
Next Steps: The ICANN community will continue its discussions about global regulatory developments and the impact on ongoing and future ICANN policy work.

Held Monday, 14 June 2021 | 12:30-14:00 CEST

To access session materials and recordings, click here.
NORTH AMERICAN FOCUS
Have Your Say! North America Engagement Plan Now Out for Public Comment
The North America Global Stakeholder Engagement (GSE) team, along with a group of community members named the Advisory Panel, have completed the draft North America Engagement Plan for FY21-25.

The plan focuses on regional efforts to strengthen engagement and participation at ICANN. The engagement goals are aligned with the goals and objectives defined in the ICANN FY21-FY25 Strategic Plan.

The draft is out for Public Comment through early July, and we would appreciate input from the wider community on the proposed plan. Comments received during the Public Comment period will be incorporated into the final version of the plan, with the goal of publishing it at the beginning of the next fiscal year, which begins 1 July.

Please review the draft plan and submit your comments here.
MEET THE ICANN COMMUNITY
MEET THE ICANN FELLOWS
WELCOME TO THE NEXTGEN@ICANN
NETWORKING AT ICANN71
Join the Virtual Fika!
Network, play trivia, learn a new skill, or just socialize during the virtual coffee break. Join us today at 14:00 CEST (12:00 UTC) in the Fika Lounge.

Tuesday: 14:00-14:30 CEST (12:00-12:30 UTC)
Wednesday: 12:00-12:30 CEST (10:00-10:30 UTC)
Thursday: 10:00-10:30 CEST (08:00-08:30 UTC)
PUBLIC MEETING STANDARDS
ENGAGE WITH ICANN
Get Social at #ICANN71
Sit! Stay! Share! Post a pic of your pet during the ICANN71 Virtual Policy Forum to Twitter or Instagram and share them with the ICANN community. Use hashtags #ICANNpets and #ICANN71.

The photos will be featured in our ICANN71 Flickr gallery.
CLICK TO GET YOUR VIRTUAL CONFERENCE BAG
Enhance your ICANN71 virtual meeting experience!

· Let others know when you are busy with our printable "do not disturb" sign.
 
· Print a virtual attendee badge to make sure your name is visible while sharing your camera during sessions.
 
· Download our origami instructions and learn to fold a cute masterpiece with origami master Andrew White during a virtual coffee break, or using our instructional video.

Click the image above to download.
VISIT ICANN'S SOCIAL MEDIA HUB! Click the image below.