At-Large Community Session Proposal - "But, you promised....." - Evaluating the Community Impact of the New gTLD Program

Title

“But you promised…” - Evaluating Community perceptions on the new gTLD program's Global Public Interest (GPI)

Session Duration:

90 minutes

Objective:

To critically assess whether the new gTLD program is fulfilling its social purposes, examining plans, expectations, and proposed outcomes.

Overview:

This session aims to explore whether the ‘promises’ made within ICANN during the development and implementation of the new gTLD program are being met, particularly in terms of their social impact and alignment with the global public interest. This discussion is particularly timely as we approach the next Applicant Guidebook (AGB) revision. Based on community understanding of the successes and failures of the ongoing 2012 round, the discussions on how the next round (Subpro) would fix everything, and the status of the current implementation of the New gTLD Round, can we identify gaps that should be dealt with before it is too late?

Key Questions to Address:

Has the work on the new gTLD program met the expectations of contributors, participants, in terms of the global public interest? Are we building what we need? Does it meet the threshold of delivering public value according to our mission, commitments, and core values?

2. Are the 'promises' made during the early stages of the Subpro program being fulfilled?

- These are promises people think they heard from leaders, teams, and Board members concerning topics such as IDN/UA, outreach, applicant support, contention set resolution.

- Is the implementation aligning with what was expected?

3. Does the AGB proposed implementation of New gTLD program fulfill the stated goals of the program?

- Are there indications that the program is not delivering for the global public interest as expected by the community?

- What are the key concerns that need to be addressed?

4. Are public concerns about the program being dismissed without sufficient discussion in the understandable rush to meet a schedule?

- Are there real issues that need attention, or are these concerns being minimized?

5. What are the potential circumstances that could hinder or even derail the program's success?

- Issues similar to those we have seen like HAN single-character surprises, the need to withdraw Board-approved recommendations, and what appears to be acceleration of ad hoc policy adjustments.

- How can these best be addressed?

6. Is it ok to rely on an increasing number of new ‘promises’ of fixing issues in future ‘procedures’?

- Is this a satisfactory response, or just more deferrals of public interest?

- Can we ensure that these issues are tackled now rather than deferred yet again?

Discussion Format:

The session will be structured as a moderated debate, with input from a diverse group of ICANN stakeholders, including community members, Board members, and experts in gTLD policy. Key points of concern, included in the key questions, will be raised and debated, with updates provided on the current status of implementation. The session will aim to offer transparency on the challenges faced and provide a forum for stakeholders to express their views and develop a wider understanding of the current situation.

Outcome Goal:

The primary goal of this session is to provide a clear picture of whether the

New gTLD Round will fulfill its intended public interest purpose. If the program is on track as many believe it is, this will provide reassurance to stakeholders. If not as some are concerned, this session will provide a platform for discussing what may need to be done before it is too late.

Expected Takeaways:

- Clarity on the community understanding on the public interest objectives of the new gTLD program.

- Identification of areas where the program may not be fulfilling its GPI obligations.

- Open discussion on how to address any concerns raised before the final stages of implementation and deployment.

- A plan for addressing small but significant issues that may have been overlooked.

Target Audience:

ICANN participants, stakeholders in the domain name industry, policy makers, and anyone interested in the future of the gTLD program and its impact on the global Internet community.

Conclusion:

This session will provide an essential benchmark to assess the goals and achievements of the new gTLD program, engage with relevant stakeholders, and help the Board ensure that the program serves the global public interest before it has to give the go ahead for the next steps.