2022 LAC Domain Names Week Has Over 400 Unique Participants | | |
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By Daniel Fink, ICANN Stakeholder Engagement Director, Brazil
In late April, ICANN organization had the honor of working with our partners the Latin American and Caribbean Country Code Top-Level Domain Organization, the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry, the Public Interest Registry, and the Internet Society to hold the LAC Domain Names Week 2022.
The event had over 400 unique participants and covered relevant Domain Name System (DNS) topics, divided into engagement, policy, technical and business tracks.
ICANN org Distinguished Technologist Paul Hoffman delivered a keynote speech on "Quantum Computing and the DNS." He presented on the advancements of computing and its impacts on domain name security technologies. Alan Woods from Donuts Inc. proposed trusted partnerships to help mitigate security threats. And during the closing day, Dr. Ajay Data, Chair of the Administrative Group of the Universal Acceptance Steering Group, presented his perspectives on the importance of Universal Acceptance for the LAC region.
Session recordings and presentations are available on the event website. Many thanks to all the speakers and participants. See you again in 2023!
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ICANN to Contribute US$1 Million to the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster | | |
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By Göran Marby, ICANN President and CEO
Last month the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) selected the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) as the recipient of ICANN’s US$1 million emergency financial support for continued Internet access in Ukraine.
The ETC is an interagency network of humanitarian, government, and private sector organizations that provide communication services in humanitarian emergencies. The United Nations World Food Programme is the lead agency of the ETC, allowing for speedy access to emergencies worldwide.
One of the ICANN Board’s objectives in establishing this emergency support was to ensure unimpeded access to the Internet and the free flow of information. Selecting an organization with nearly two decades of experience allows us to make a significant impact as quickly as possible, during a time when it is most needed.
Read my full blog for details.
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ICANN74 to Be First Hybrid Public Meeting Since 2019 | | |
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The ICANN74 Policy Forum will be held 13–16 June in The Hague, Netherlands. The meeting will be conducted as a hybrid event to accommodate both in-person and virtual attendance. ICANN is committed to ensuring an inclusive meeting that provides an equal opportunity for all to engage on important policy matters.
While ICANN74 presents the first opportunity for the community to gather in-person since 2019, the health and safety of all ICANN community members and staff are a top priority. Consequently, those attending in person will be required to follow higher health and safety standards than may be demanded by local rules and regulations.
ICANN is closely monitoring relevant national and international public health guidance from the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Dutch Government, and the European Union.
Visit the ICANN74 website for more information and to register.
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ICANN Completes Audits Confirming Proper Controls in Place for IANA Functions | | |
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ICANN has completed audits of the key systems used to deliver the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions.
The accounting firm RSM US LLP conducted a Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 audit of the Registry Assignment and Maintenance Systems and an SOC 3 audit of root zone Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) services. Both audits spanned 12-month periods ending 30 September and 30 November 2021, respectively.
The SOC 2 audit found that the ICANN organization has the appropriate controls in place to ensure the security, availability, and processing integrity of IANA systems. The results of this report are consistent with a history of clean audit reports, which highlights ICANN’s commitment to adhering to the high standards.
For the 12th consecutive year, an exception-free audit was completed for the management of the DNSSEC root key signing key (KSK). The SOC 3 audit shows that effective security, availability, and processing integrity controls exist to manage the root KSK.
Read the full announcement for more information.
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An Update From the 2022 ICANN Nominating Committee | | |
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By Michael Graham, Nominating Committee Chair
I am pleased to report that we have received 85 completed applications for the eight open ICANN leadership positions being considered by the Nominating Committee (NomCom). Out of 85 applicants:
● 15 percent are from Africa.
● 27 percent are from Asia, Australia, or the Pacific Islands.
● 25 percent are from Europe.
● 20 percent are from Latin America or the Caribbean.
● 13 percent are from North America.
● 29 percent are female, 58 percent are male, and 13 percent did not disclose.
We are now in the assessment period. During this period, NomCom delegates undertake a series of steps to evaluate the applications.
The NomCom will form deep dive groups and conduct virtual interviews with the short-listed candidates, using assessment tools and summary reports that have been developed to evaluate each candidate equally and fairly.
Our goal is to announce the NomCom selectees by July 2022. For more information, please read my full blog.
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ICANN Launches the Special Interest Forum on Technology Discussion Platform | | |
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ICANN has launched a new discussion platform, the Special Interest Forum on Technology (SIFT). SIFT gives the ICANN community a place to discuss thematic and technical issues, share knowledge, and discuss the evolving identifier technologies and their impact on ICANN's mission.
Anyone from the ICANN community can join SIFT. Members of the ICANN-supported discussion groups will be able to track conversations through mailing lists. The discussions may result in further presentations and discussions during Emerging Identifier Technology sessions, additional research by the Office of the Chief Technology Officer, or the creation of new discussion boards.
One of ICANN's strategic goals calls for a "mechanism [to be] established with which ICANN assesses new technologies and, when appropriate, embraces them." SIFT provides a way to actively involve the community in monitoring, identifying, and assessing the identifier system's evolution.
Read the full announcement for more information.
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LAC ACTIVITIES AND HIGHLIGHTS
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LACRALO to Promote Dialogue at LAC Digital 2022 | | |
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The 2022 LAC Digital project is an initiative of the ICANN Latin American and Caribbean Islands Regional At-Large Organization (LACRALO). Coinciding with World Telecommunication Day, this three-day virtual event taking place 17–19 May aims to promote dialogue and the exchange of ideas among civil society, governments, and academia.
Discussion topics will include issues related to the Internet, connectivity, domain names, and numbers within the framework of human rights, diversity, and equitable access. Three panels will address the following topics:
● Internet as an essential public service and the global public interest
● Universal Acceptance and Internationalized Domain Names
● Internet infrastructure and access to underserved and rural areas
The LAC Digital project will also address how information and communication technologies and the Internet are helping to implement the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Latin American and Caribbean region.
Visit the LACRALO webpage for more information.
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GETTING TO KNOW THE ICANN COMMUNITY
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Fernando Frediani
Executive Secretary, Brazil Peering Forum
Fernando Frediani earned a degree in computer engineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas in Brazil. He attended the business administration extension program at the School of Business at Cranfield University in England. In Brazil, he holds an M.B.A. in business management from Fundação Getúlio Vargas. Fernando has contributed to projects in the fields of managed services, infrastructure, and data centers for over seven years in Europe, the United States, and Brazil, providing coordination, technical leadership, and research and development.
Fernando frequently lectures at Internet industry events throughout Brazil and Latin America and is an active member of the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry’s Policy Development Forum and is the Executive Secretary of Brazil’s Peering Forum. He also is a member of the ICANN Internet Service Providers and Connectivity Providers group.
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ccNSO Launches DNS Abuse Standing Committee | | |
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The Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) Council recently announced the launch of the DNS Abuse Standing Committee (DASC) to coordinate ccNSO processes related to DNS abuse.
While DNS abuse policy development work is out of scope for the ccNSO, the DASC will help country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) coordinate and share resources. The DASC is also exploring ways to keep ccTLDs informed about DNS abuse, for example by creating a dedicated mailing list. DASC activities as a coordination body will include:
● Enhancing information and practice sharing.
● Showcasing ccTLD efforts.
● Reinforcing the message about the nature of ccTLDs and the limited role of the ccNSO.
● Sharing DNS abuse-related metrics.
Ahead of ICANN74, the DASC is expected to create a discussion forum and resource library for ccTLDs. The DASC does not represent the ccNSO, its members, the ccNSO Council, or individual ccTLDs.
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EPDP-IGOs Publishes Final Report | | |
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On 4 April, the Expedited Policy Development Process on Specific Curative Rights Protection for International Governmental Organizations (EPDP-IGOs) team delivered its Final Report to the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council. The report contains five recommendations that are intended to be interdependent (as outlined in Section 13 of the PDP Manual).
The EPDP team reached full consensus on each recommendation. These recommendations include defining an “IGO Complaint'' and applicable law for arbitration proceedings.
The GNSO Council initiated this EPDP in August 2021. The EPDP team seeks to address the implications of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy and Uniform Rapid Suspension Decisions on IGOs, which may have jurisdictional immunity under certain circumstances.
As a next step, the GNSO Council is expected to consider the EPDP team’s five recommendations and the Final Report. If approved by the GNSO Council, the Final Report will be delivered to the ICANN Board for consideration.
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Subsequent Procedures Operational Design Phase Updates | | |
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Over the past few months, the Subsequent Procedures (SubPro) Operational Design Phase (ODP) team has shared updates that outline the work tracks and describe in detail how the ICANN org is approaching the complexity of this effort. The SubPro ODP, in progress since January, aims to help inform the ICANN Board’s decision on the New Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) SubPro recommendations.
The Policy Development and Implementation Materials work track, which Karen Lentz, Vice President of Policy Research and Stakeholder Programs, highlighted in a recent blog, focuses on the policy recommendations that form the requirements for future gTLD application rounds. An important goal of this work track is to identify any policy-related questions that may require further clarification from the GNSO Council.
For more information, visit the SubPro ODP webpage, which includes a high-level timeline of ongoing activities, community status reporting, and other relevant information.
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Building a More Multilingual Internet Through RZ-LGR-5 | | |
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Over the past nine years, Generation Panels have worked tirelessly to introduce Internationalized Domain Names into the Domain Name System in a safe and secure manner. This community work has culminated with the recent publishing of the fifth version of Root Zone Label Generation Rules (RZ-LGR-5) for Public Comment.
Now that the Public Comment period has closed, the last steps are underway to finalize RZ-LGR-5, which will result in the integration of 26 unique scripts. These scripts are used to write hundreds of languages around the world. This is a remarkable achievement and a true testament to the multistakeholder model at work.
Read this blog to learn more about the work of Generation Panels and RZ-LGR-5.
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ICANN Around the World
Regional Offices:
Los Angeles, U.S.A. (Headquarters)
Brussels, Belgium
Istanbul, Turkey
Montevideo, Uruguay
Singapore
Engagement Centers:
Beijing, China
Geneva, Switzerland
Nairobi, Kenya
Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
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