I'm writing this blog because I received a complaint that has since been resolved with an apology. The complaint bothered me because it involved historic events that took place before most of us were born. I will not go into details, but it did involve: a) behavior that...

On 17 July 2017, the ICANN Empowered Community confirmed that it was not rejecting any of the following documents previously approved by the ICANN Board on 24 June 2017: ICANN’s FY2018 Budget and Operating Plan IANA’s Budget for FY2018 ICANN’s Five-Year Operating Plan The...

Data protection and privacy laws and regulations are constantly evolving. One of the ICANN organization’s top priorities continues to be data protection and privacy compliance and maintaining the security of personal data we collect in the course of our operations. As...

As of 17 July 2017, American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) Trustees and representatives from ARIN's General Members in Good Standing are invited to nominate candidates for seats on the Board of Trustees and Advisory Council to serve three-year terms beginning 1...

The NextGen experience at ICANN59 will be a lasting memory for all who were involved. After the meeting was over, the NextGen participants took it upon themselves to create a report highlighting their experiences. The meeting gave them a deeper idea of what ICANN is all...

The Competition, Consumer Trust and Consumer Choice Review Team (CCTRT) held two days of face-to-face meetings during ICANN59 in Johannesburg. The team met with a subset of the ICANN Board and a number of ICANN stakeholder groups to deliver updates on the Review Team's...

A significant milestone has been reached in ICANN’s ongoing effort to change the cryptographic key that helps protect the Domain Name System (DNS). On 11 July 2017, the new DNSSEC Key Signing Key (KSK-2017) appeared in the DNS, marking the first time a new key has been...

As ICANN continues to look for better ways to ensure its core mission, as outlined in the organization's bylaws, the security, stability and resiliency (SSR) of the Internet's unique identifiers system stands out as a priority for Internet communities around the globe....

The inaugural Barbados IGF came to a successful conclusion on 23rd June 2017 with substantial coordinating, technical and facilitating input from ICANN fellows Ashell Forde, Jason Hynds, and Bartlett Morgan. The hosting of the IGF in Bridgetown Barbados marked a...

The transition from Thin to Thick WHOIS is well underway and I want to provide you with an update on the progress and recent developments. First, I want to acknowledge the efforts of the Thick WHOIS Implementation Review Team (IRT), registries, and registrars who are...

On 25 June 2017, the Cross Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (CCWG-Accountability) held a face-to-face meeting before the start of ICANN59 in Johannesburg. 93 members and participants attended in-person and remotely using the virtual meeting room...

Take a look at some of the numbers resulting from the #ICANN59 meeting in Johannesburg.

We’re concluding a successful meeting in Johannesburg. I want to thank everyone who came to engage in four days of intensive policy discussions at ICANN59. The meeting showcased the dedication of ICANN’s Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees – and the value of...

Thirty different languages – that was the result of a quick poll asking the twenty participants attending the IDN Workshop to list the languages they speak. ICANN organized the workshop at the Africa Internet Summit in Nairobi on 28 May 2017. This response exemplifies...

When I first joined ICANN, many of you had asked me about how we manage our offices around the world. We've now formalized this in our international office strategy so that we operate more consistently and effectively together, serving you, the global community. Offices...

Part Three of a Four-Part Blog Series (Read Part One and Part Two) ICANN59 is upon us and with it, the completion of the ICANN Fellowship Program 10 Year Survey that we conducted in March 2017. Survey results will be posted shortly. We canvased over 600 individuals who...

Welcome to the second Policy Forum – whether you are here in Johannesburg or following along from home. I am consistently reminded as I meet with ICANN stakeholders around the world, on behalf of the ICANN organization, that the Internet is no one country's national...

1. Only in South Africa will you find a street that has been home to two Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Both Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu lived on Vilakazi Street in the Orlando West township in Soweto. Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his...