Re: [ICANN-EU] European At Large Council

[Alexander Svensson <svensson@icannchannel.de>]

Dear Andy (M.-M.),

I strongly agree that ICANN's decisions are not
purely technical, but can also have political and 
economic impacts. But I don't think we should /broaden/
ICANN's political role even more. It seems to me you
want to use the interest in ICANN and have the European
At Large Platform/Council debate about everything in
the area of net politics -- including content control.

You wrote:
> I think the main point is, that such a european communication plattform,
> forum, council, call-it-like-you-want makes sense itself, getting
> european user groups closer together, adressing issues to politics,
> to the media and not only to ICANN. When you look at special issues
> like "lawful interception" (that european echelon stuff) it might be
> important to adress ETSI as well as ICANN. And/or IETF. And/Or
> all european ISPīs. And/or european parliament (copyright controll
> discussion).

I understand (and share) your interest in more transnational
debate about such issues, but I would like to keep e.g.
"that european echelon stuff" off any ICANN lists. Let's
not turn the ICANN At Large membership into a political 
pressure group for *all* net-related issues; it will be hard 
enough to reach anything like rough consensus on *ICANN*-
related issues. 

Earlier you wrote (31.8.00):
> I think it is important to integrate existing NGOīs
> who care about issues like privacy, citizens +
> crypto rights etc.

Privacy groups already speak up e.g. when it comes to WHOIS.
Citizen groups speak up when it comes to the new TLDs. Maybe 
there is also a connection between ICANN issues and 
cryptography -- but if there isn't, let's not mix everything 
up.
I would very much like to hear other people's opinions on
combining general net politics issues with ICANN issues.

> And to avoid exactly this we need physical regulary meetings in different
> european places on the issues to be adressed to ICANN. Mailing lists and
> News Groups are great to get an broad band diversity of ideas and
> opinions, but if we need to concentrate on finding a concensus, solution
> and/or clear statement to a question, itīs much easier in real life and/or
> on a mailing list with a clear focus on that. To avoid misunderstandings:
> A clear statement could also be, that on special questions there simply
> is no represantative statement to make for all user and that the issue
> and/or structure should allow different users interests.

Agreed. Maybe there is a chance to get the final 
European candidates together for a public discussion 
before the election?

Best regards,
/// Alexander

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