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ICANN Reviews

Revision as of 22:39, 8 June 2021 by JP (talk | contribs) (→Specific Reviews)

As a public service organization, ICANN's bylaws establish the scope and direction of the organization's mission, commitments, and core values.[1] The Bylaws specify review processes for ICANN and its stakeholder organizations.[2] The review processes are designed to ensure that ICANN is performing its mission in the best way possible.[3] Reviews aim to evaluate the health of the multistakeholder model, ICANN transparency and accountability, organizational effectiveness, and the security and stability of the DNS.[3]

ICANN Review Cycle edit

Specific and Organizational Reviews each follow process models that share a common set of themes and expectations. In each process, the review is planned by a team or work party. In the case of Organizational Reviews, there is then the intervening step of selecting and engaging an Independent Examiner. Then, the review is conducted. Organization Reviews move directly to implementation, while Specific Reviews submit findings and recommendations to the ICANN Board, which then acts on the recommendations. In each case, the implementation of recommendations is refined and improved, and the implemented improvements become standard procedure. The different action phases are laid out below:

Action Phase Specific Reviews Organizational Reviews
Phase 1 Assemble a Review Team Assemble a Working Party
Phase 2 Plan Review Plan Review
Phase 3 Conduct Review Engage Independent Examiner
Phase 4 Board Action Conduct Review
Phase 5 Plan Implementation Plan Implementation
Phase 6 Implement Improvements Implement Improvements
Phase 7 New Standard Operating Procedure New Standard Operating Procedure

Specific Reviews edit

ICANN's operations are subject to periodic Specific Reviews, enumerated in Article 4.6 of the bylaws.[4] These reviews are the result of ICANN's 2009 Affirmation of Commitments (AoC) with the United States Department of Commerce. Prior to 2016, specific reviews were conducted to fulfill ICANN's promise to review its performance relative to the commitments contained in the AoC. the bylaws were amended in October 2016 to incorporate the commitments and the review process described in the AoC into the bylaws as Article 4.6.[5] The specific reviews address adherence to the following commitments:

  • Accountability and Transparency (ATRT) - focused on ICANN operations[6]
  • Security, Stability, & Resiliency (SSR) - focused on the DNS[7]
  • Registration Directory Service (RDS/WHOIS) - focused on registration data and public access to registration information[8]
  • Competition, Consumer Trust, and Consumer Choice (CCT) - ushered in as part of the New gTLD Program, this review is focused on the domain marketplace and the experience of registrants and other consumers[9]

Timing & Process edit

ATRT, SSR, and RDS/WHOIS reviews must take place periodically, and no more than five years after the last review team was convened[10] A CCT review is initiated one year after the launch of a New gTLD application round.[10]

Review teams typically include members, observers, and/or liaisons from stakeholder groups, supporting organizations and advisory committees.[10] The review process timeline runs between three to nearly five years, and involves multiple opportunities for participation, public comment, and deliberation among stakeholders.[11]

Organizational Reviews edit

Each supporting organization and advisory committee, as well as the Nominating Committee is periodically reviewed pursuant to Article 4.4 of the Bylaws.[12] The GAC is exempted from Article 4.4, although it is charged to implement and deploy its own review processes.[13]

Timing & Process edit

The bylaws state that organizational reviews should take place no more than five years from the submission of the final report of the last review to the ICANN Board. However, that requirement is flexible, and "based on feasibility as determined by the Board."[13]

An Independent Examiner is contracted to perform the fact finding, assessment, reporting, and recommendations of the review process. The examiner is selected through a competitive bid process.[14] The review timeline for organization reviews can stretch between three to five years.[12] Like specific reviews, the process has multiple stages of public comment, as well as interaction and comment between the organization being reviewed and the Independent Examiner.[14]

Board Review edit

During the development of the organizational review process, the ICANN Board determined that it would be good for the organization if it also participated in a review process under the organizational review model. The ICANN Board Review occurred between 2007 and 2010, but was not repeated.[15] The Structural Improvements Committee (now known as the Organizational Effectiveness Committee) was tasked with presenting a set of actions and improvements based on the report of the board review working group.[16] Other mechanisms exist for review of the board, as well as the review of board decisions, within the ICANN Bylaws.[17]

Past Reviews edit

Specific Reviews edit

Review Type & Number Status Date Initiated Date Completed ICANNWiki Page Documents
CCT #1 Implementation Phase October 1, 2015 CCT1 CCT1 Final Report - PDF
ATRT #1 Complete January 11, 2010 January 29, 2013 ATRT1 ATRT1 Final Report - PDF
ATRT1 Implementation Report - PDF
ATRT #2 Complete October 5, 2012 December 31, 2015 ATRT2 ATRT1 Final Report - PDF
ATRT2 Implementation Report - PDF
ATRT #3 Implementation Phase January 31, 2017 ATRT3 ATRT3 Final Report
RDS/WHOIS #1 Complete June 1, 2010 December 31, 2015 RDS1 RDS1 Final Report (PDF)
RDS1 Implementation Report (PDF)
RDS/WHOIS #2 Implementation Phase October 28, 2016 RDS2 RDS2 Final Report (PDF)
SSR #1 Complete June 1, 2010 December 31, 2015 SSR1 SSR1 Final Report (PDF)
SSR1 Implementation Report (PDF)
SSR #2 Awaiting Board Action June 30, 2016 SSR2 SSR2 Final Report (PDF)

Organizational Reviews edit

Review Type & Number Status Date Initiated Date Completed ICANNWiki Page Documents
ALAC #1 Complete January 23, 2008 June 14, 2012 At-Large1 At-Large1 Final Report (PDF)
At-Large1 Implementation Project Final Report (PDF)
ALAC #2 Complete January 6, 2016 December 18, 2020 At-Large2 At-Large2 Final Report (PDF)
At-Large2 Implementation Status Report (PDF)
ASO #1 Complete December 12, 2010 November 17, 2014 ASO1 ASO1 Final Report (PDF)
Letter Re: Finalization of ASO1 Implementation (PDF)
ASO #2 Complete November 18, 2016 August 31, 2017 ASO2 ASO2 Final Report (PDF)
ccNSO #1 Complete June 26, 2009 September 11, 2013 ccNSO1 ccNSO2 Final Report (PDF)
ccNSO2 Implementation Status Report (PDF)
ccNSO #2 Implementation Phase April 6, 2017 ccNSO2 ccNSO2 Final Report (PDF)
GNSO #1 Complete March 30, 2007 November 3, 2008 GNSO1 GNSO1 Final Report (PDF)
GNSO #2 Complete January 1, 2014 January 27, 2019 GNSO2 GNSO2 Final Report (PDF)
GNSO2 Implementation Final Report (PDF)
NomCom #1 Complete March 30, 2007 March 1, 2012 NomCom1 NomCom1 Final Report of Independent Examiner (PDF)
NomCom1 Finalization WG Final Report (PDF)
NomCom1 Implementation Final Report (PDF)
NomCom #2 Complete September 13, 2016 December 21, 2020 NomCom2 NomCom2 Final Report (PDF)
NomCom2 Implementation Status Report (PDF)
RSSAC #1 Complete June 26, 2008 December 1, 2010 RSSAC1 RSSAC1 Final Report (PDF)
RSSAC1 Implementation Report (PDF)
RSSAC #2 Complete April 19, 2017 December 9, 2020 RSSAC2 RSSAC2 Final Report
RSSAC2 Implementation Progress Report (PDF)
SSAC #1 Complete June 26, 2008 June 25, 2010 SSAC1 SSAC1 Final Report (PDF)
SSAC #2 Complete May 18, 2017 March 25, 2021 SSAC2 SSAC2 Final Report (PDF)
SSAC2 Final Implementation Report (PDF)

Efforts to Improve & Streamline the Review Process edit

Both the ICANN Board and ICANN staff have recently been engaged in efforts to improve the review process for both specific and organizational reviews. In 2019, the Board issued new Operating Standards for Specific Reviews[18] [19] In addition, ICANN staff drafted a process proposal for streamlining organizational reviews in April 2019.[20] Public comments on the proposal addressed a much broader range of challenges and difficulties than the proposed streamlining measures.[21]

The Board and staff of ICANN continue to address the issues raised during public comment processes, public meetings, and other communications related to the efficiency and timing of reviews.[22] In November 2019, Lars Hoffman presented at ICANN 66 on the topic of improving the effectiveness of review recommendations and their implementation.[23]

References edit

  1. ↑ ICANN Bylaws, Article 1
  2. ↑ ICANN Bylaws - Articles 4.4-4.6
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 ICANN.org - Review Dashboard
  4. ↑ ICANN.org - Specific (Article 4.6) Reviews
  5. ↑ [https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/bylaws-2016-09-30-en#article4 ICANN.org Archive - Bylaws as adopted October 1, 2016
  6. ↑ ICANN.org - Accountability & Transparency Review
  7. ↑ ICANN.org - Security, Stability, & Resiliency Review
  8. ↑ ICANN.org - Registration Directory Service Review
  9. ↑ ICANN.org - Competition, Consumer Trust, and Consumer Choice
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 ICANN Bylaws, Article 4.6
  11. ↑ ICANN.org - Specific Reviews Process Flowchart, August 31, 2017 (PDF)
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 ICANN.org - Organizational Reviews
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 ICANN Bylaws, Article 4.4
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 ICANN.org - Organizational Review Process Flowchart, August 31, 2017 (PDF)
  15. ↑ ICANN Board Review Dashboard
  16. ↑ Resolution of the Board, June 25, 2010
  17. ↑ Article 4 provides for review mechanisms for board actions; Article 5 establishes the Ombudsman's office.
  18. ↑ ICANN.org Blog - Operating Standards: Guiding ICANN's Specific Reviews, July 8, 2019
  19. ↑ ICANN Operating Standards - Specific Reviews, June 23, 2019 (PDF)
  20. ↑ ICANN.org - Public Comment Archive, Process Proposal for Streamlining Organization Reviews, April 30, 2019
  21. ↑ Staff Report on Public Comment Process, July 30, 2019
  22. ↑ ICANN Blog - Enhancing and Streamlining ICANN's Reviews: Issues, Approaches, and Next Steps, October 31, 2019
  23. ↑ ICANN 66 Archive - Enhancing the Effectiveness of Review Recommendations, November 4, 2019 (registration with ICANN.org required)

At-Large Advisory Committee. Considers and provides advice on the activities of ICANN related to the interests of individual Internet users (ICANN Bylaws). Not to be confused with the Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group.

Address Supporting Organization. Advises the Board with respect to policy issues relating to the operation, assignment, and management of Internet addresses (ICANN Bylaws).

Country Code Names Supporting Organization. Develops and recommends to the Board global policies relating to country-code top-level domains (ICANN Bylaws).

Generic Names Supporting Organization. Develops and recommends to the Board substantive policies relating to generic top-level domains and other responsibilities set forth in the Bylaws (ICANN Bylaws).

Root Server System Advisory Committee. Advises the ICANN community and Board on matters relating to the operation, administration, security, and integrity of the Internet's Root Server System (ICANN Bylaws).

Security and Stability Advisory Committee. Advises the ICANN community and Board on matters relating to the security and integrity of the Internet's naming and address allocation systems (ICANN Bylaws).

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