Accountability and Review
ICANN's Accountability and Review processes are set forth in ICANN Bylaws Article IV.
In carrying out its mission to ensure the stable and secure operation of the Internet's unique identifier systems, ICANN has committed to be accountable to the community for operating in a manner that is consistent with its Bylaws, and with due regard for the core values set forth in the Bylaws.
Accountability and Transparency Frameworks and Principles
- Contents
- Overview
- Accountability in the Public Sphere
- Legal and Corporate accountability
- Accountability to the participating community
In order to reinforce its transparency and accountability mechanisms, ICANN has established processes for reconsideration and independent review of ICANN actions. ICANN has also established the Office of the Ombudsman to evaluate and where possible resolve complaints about unfair or inappropriate treatment by ICANN.
Ombudsman
For more information about ICANN's Ombudsman, please visit http://www.icann.org/ombudsman/.
If you have a dispute you want the Ombudsman to investigate, or to contact the Ombudsman, please visit http://www.icann.org/ombudsman/contact.htm.
Reconsideration
ICANN's Board Governance Committee is responsible to receiving requests from any person or entity that has been materially affected by any ICANN staff action or inaction if such affected person or entity believes the action contradicts established ICANN policies, or by actions or inactions of the Board that such affected person or entity believes has been taken without consideration of material information. Note: this is a brief summary of the relevant Bylaws provisions. For more information about ICANN's reconsideration process, please visit http://www.icann.org/en/general/bylaws.htm#IV and http://www.icann.org/en/committees/board-governance/.
Independent Review
In addition to the Office of the Ombudsman and its reconsideration process, ICANN has also established a separate process for independent third-party review of Board actions alleged by an affected party to be inconsistent with ICANN's Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws. For additional information about the independent review process, please refer to ICANN Bylaws Article IV, Section 3. The Bylaws provide that requests for independent review will be referred to an Independent Review Panel ("IRP"). ICANN has designated the International Centre for Dispute Resolution to operate the independent review process. To initiate a request for Independent Review, please complete the ICDR form which can be found here [PDF, 53 KB]. ICDR will then contact you to discuss the process in more detail. For more information on the ICDR's International Arbitration rules and procedures, click here. Details of the supplemental rules for the ICANN process can be found here. IRP documents can be found here.
Answers to recurring questions regarding the IRP are located here.