Public Comment

Public Comment is a vital part of our multistakeholder model. It provides a mechanism for stakeholders to have their opinions and recommendations formally and publicly documented. It is an opportunity for the ICANN community to effect change and improve policies and operations.

Proposed ICANN Bylaw Revisions Regarding the ALAC

Open: 8 April 2011
Closed: 9 May 2011

Explanation/Background: As part of the ALAC/At-Large Improvements Project, the Office of the General Counsel – in coordination with the ALAC, At-Large Improvements Work Team A, and the At-Large Staff – drafted proposed Bylaw revisions to reflect the ALAC's continuing purpose within ICANN.

These revisions were prepared in response to the Final Report of the ALAC Review Working Group on ALAC Improvements [PDF, 270 KB] (Final Report; 9 June 2009). The Final Report recommended that the ICANN Bylaws be modified to reflect ALAC's role (i) in providing advice on policy, (ii) in providing input into ICANN's operations and structure, (iii) as part of ICANN's accountability mechanisms, and (iv) as an organizing mechanism for some of ICANN's outreach (p. 6, par. 1). Furthermore, the Final Report acknowledged that the ALAC, as the representative body of At-Large, is the primary organizational home for the individual Internet user within ICANN, although ICANN's multi-stakeholder model also provides the opportunity for individual users to participate in many other ways (p. 6, par. 10).

The Board approved both the Final Report and the ALAC/At-Large Improvements Implementation Project Plan [PDF, 399 KB] (7 June 2010), which identified the ICANN Bylaw paragraphs expected to require revision, on 26 June 2009 and 5 August 2010, respectively. On 18 March 2011, the Board then directed ICANN's CEO to post the proposed Bylaw revisions for public comment.

The proposed revisions are available here [PDF, 60 KB] in redline form. All members of the ICANN community and the public are invited to review the proposed revisions and share their comments through 9 May 2011.

Deadline and How to Submit Comments: The Staff is opening a 30-day public consultation forum, from 8 April 2011 through 9 May 2011, on this matter. During this period, the ICANN community and public are invited to submit comments via e-mail to bylaws-amend-article-xi-2011@icann.org.

To view comments: An archive of all comments received will be publicly posted at http://forum.icann.org/lists/bylaws-amend-article-xi-2011/.

To view the public announcement of this forum: Please see http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-08apr11-en.htm.

Staff member responsible: Heidi Ullrich and Samantha Eisner

Announcement | Comments | Summary/analysis of comments