Review of Reviews

Description

The Review of Reviews is a collaborative effort that brings together ICANN Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees, ICANN Board members, and ICANN org to manage a fundamental evaluation of the reviews set out in the ICANN Bylaws, as a whole system, including their implementation, and propose a refreshed system of reviews.

The reviews and their past outcomes to be evaluated include:

  • Periodic review of ICANN structure and operations (section 4.4),

  • Annual Review (section 4.5) and

  • Specific Reviews (section 4.6); and

  • Previously conducted Reviews; and

  • Reviews that have previously been formally recommended.

Read the charter and factsheet for more information.

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Now out! The Review of Reviews refined proposal outline of the proposed reviews system.

Background

On 19 May 2025, the Board directed ICANN org to initiate work to design a review program that is fit for the intended purposes of enhancing ICANN’s accountability, transparency, and effectiveness. The Board identified a community dialogue, as a first step, to develop a shared understanding of the areas and issues for which reviews will enhance ICANN’s accountability, transparency and effectiveness.

This decision is in continuation of the longstanding discussions on streamlining reviews, community feedback that the current approach is unsustainable and conclusions reached by the Third Accountability and Transparency Review (ATRT3) that reviews need to evolve.

It has been 15 years since the Specific Reviews were developed in the Affirmation of Commitments (AoC) and the passage of almost 9 years since the reviews were reconfirmed in the Bylaws. The community dialogue is an opportunity to step back and design a review program that is fit for the intended purposes to make sure that a review program remains appropriate for the ICANN of today.

On 19 May 2025, the Board also resolved to continue the deferral of Fourth Accountability and Transparency Review (ATRT4), of the Third Security, Stability and Resiliency of the DNS (SSR3) Review and Third Registration Directory Service (RDS3) Review until a community dialogue can inform next steps.

​​The Board expects to take critical input from the community dialogue at the ICANN84 Public Meeting. The session at ICANN84 will serve as a forum for gathering community input on how ICANN can modernize reviews.

In response, the community presented a charter for a Review of Reviews Cross Community Group (Reviews CCG), which the Board approved in September 2025.

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