ICANN80 Readout: Highlights & Take-Aways from the Policy Forum

On 26 June 2024, eco - Association of the Internet Industry & ICANN - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers hosted a joint ICANN80 Readout to summarise and discuss selected topics from the ICANN80 Policy Forum, which was held in Kigali, Rwanda, from 10-13 June 2024.

• The full readout summary is available for download as a PDF here.

The ICANN80 Readout was moderated by Lars Steffen, Head of International Digital Infrastructure and Resilience at the eco Association, and was hosted by Adam Peake, Civil Society Engagement Sr. Manager at ICANN, and Thomas Rickert, Director Names & Numbers at the eco Association.

ICANN80 in Short

Adam Peake provided a comprehensive overview of the ICANN80 Policy Forum, which saw over 1,000 participants from 123 countries. This forum marked the first High-Level Governmental Meeting (HLGM) in six years, collaborating with the GAC and the Rwandan government, focusing on Internet accessibility and emerging technologies in Africa. Notably, Kurt Erik "Kurtis" Lindqvist was announced as the new CEO and President of ICANN.

Geopolitical and DNS Geopolitical Update & Global DNS Capacity Building

Key geopolitical discussions emphasised the need for greater collaboration between ICANN, governments, and other stakeholders to tackle global Internet governance challenges. Ongoing initiatives like the Coalition for Digital Africa aim to utilise ICANN's convening power to promote Internet development across the continent.

Significant developments include the review of the 2005 UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and preparations for the Summit on the Global Digital Compact. Additionally, the Open-Ended Working Group on Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Negotiations and the World Telecommunication Standards Authority's discussions on the 2025 Internet Governance Forum location were highlighted.

Susan Mohr (ISPCP): Reported on ISPCP's collaboration with ICANN's Government Engagement team, emphasising the importance of the multi-stakeholder model. ISPCP's training sessions on DNS topics received positive feedback, with plans for future webinars and an in-person workshop at ICANN81 in Istanbul.

Adam Peake expressed appreciation for the work Susan and the ISPCP are doing and highlighted the importance of promoting various topics central to ICANN's mission, including DNS abuse, through initiatives like the Domain Metrica project.

Chris Disspain (ccNSO): Discussed the session on strengthening multi-stakeholder voices in Internet governance and highlighted concerns about ICANN's stance on global Internet governance discussions. Emphasised the importance of collaboration between ccTLDs and gTLDs to address DNS abuse.

Claire Craig (ALAC): Introduced the "Safe Cyber Campaign," a project focused on cybersecurity awareness, particularly phishing, in collaboration with ESA. The campaign has been well-received and will continue to evolve with community input.

Nicolas Caballero (GAC): Shared insights from the HLGM in Kigali, stressing the need for balanced approaches to address issues like disinformation and cybersecurity. Discussed the GAC's guidance on mechanisms for resolving new gTLD contention sets and recommendations for fair applicant support processes.

Greg DiBiase (GNSO): Highlighted discussions on urgent data disclosure requests, data accuracy, privacy proxy services, and the transfer policy workstream. Emphasised the need for community feedback on domain lock periods post-registration or transfer.

Ram Mohan (SSAC): Provided updates on the SSAC's activities, including the Name Collision Analysis Project and concerns about DNSSEC implementation. Advocated for a cautious approach to delegating new TLDs and stressed the importance of collaboration to promote DNSSEC adoption.

Conclusion

The ICANN80 Readout offered valuable insights into the key discussions and outcomes of the ICANN80 Policy Forum. The event underscored the importance of collaboration, multi-stakeholder engagement, and ongoing efforts to address global Internet governance challenges.

The recording of the ICANN80 Readout is available for eco members here.

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