[Chapter-delegates] Revised Chapter Agreement

Borka Jerman Blazic borka at e5.ijs.si
Wed Aug 16 02:23:35 PDT 2017


+1 with Stefano  and the others.

Regards,

Borka
Slovenia ISOC

Alex CORENTHIN je 15.8.2017 ob 18:58 napisal:
> +1 with stefano
>
> Le 15 août 2017 15:33, "Stefano Trumpy" <stefano at trumpy.eu 
> <mailto:stefano at trumpy.eu>> a écrit :
>
>     Following several comments in the list, regarding the proposed
>     Charter of August 1st for the signature from the Internet Society
>     chapters, I present my general comments before the Italian
>     chapter, by end of August, sends our proposed amendments,
>     elaborated by our Council, to the initial version of the Charter.
>
>      Chapters cannot be considered as subsidiaries of the Internet
>     Society having headquarters in Virginia – US; they should
>     represent Internet Society principles (I like more the term
>     "Internet orthodoxy") in the territories they represent.
>
>     In todays global society we observe that local governments tend to
>     intervene more on policies regarding the Internet like: hate
>     speech, fake news, populisms, privacy, antiterrorism and other
>     aspects that impact on societal attitudes and influence on public
>     voting in the countries.
>
>     It is not by chance that, in the last two years or so, in the
>     Internet community we started to launch messages regarding
>     Internet fragmentation elements. The governments, in many cases,
>     interpret Internet policy as the one that fits better with local
>     equilibriums and their foreign policies. As a consequence, the
>     chapters should represent the opinions coming from what I called
>     Internet orthodoxy and will use arguments to interact with the
>     local government that, in the end will act as decision maker. For
>     governments including a multi-stakeholders approach before
>     deciding on Internet issues, the task for the chapters is easier,
>     but this happens only in a small fraction of
>     territories/countries; last news concerning CGI Brazil are
>     worrying and, in Italy, the expected process for a
>     multi-stakeholder model is still undecided.
>
>     With the approach I propose, the Internet Society will have the
>     chance to evaluate, with the help of the chapters, how much
>     recommended global principles will have the chance to be adopted
>     globally and which variations should be elaborated.
>
>     In substance the Internet Society should adopt an approach with
>     the chapters more oriented to a bottom up philosophy rather than a
>     top down approach; this should be articulated with appropriate
>     language in order to render the Internet Society a global
>     recognized organization.
>
>     The initial ideals valid in early nineties, going back to the
>     Larry Landweber approach, where to bring the Internet everywhere,
>     including countries considered "bad guys" and this was easier
>     because governments either ignored the existence of the Internet
>     or simply didn’t care.
>
>     Final notes: several comments on the recommended Charter are
>     referring to a role of the charters as lobbyists with local
>     governments;  I hate this expression and I agree that the chapters
>     should make their best effort in order to defend Internet
>     orthodoxy as defined inside the Internet Society.
>
>     The language of the proposed Charter, in my opinion, looks to be
>     not suited for many chapters that rely mainly on best effort
>     achievements assured by voluntary work.  Also it could be defined
>     in a clear way where Internet Society may deny the use Internet
>     Society logo.
>
>     Stefano
>
>     *
>     ------------------------------------------------------*
>     *Ing. Stefano Trumpy*
>     *Presidente Internet Society Italy*
>     *
>     *
>     Via del Poggio 27, Livorno, Italia
>     phone: + 39 0586 579212
>     mobile: +39 3488218618
>     e-mail: stefano at trumpy.eu <mailto:stefano at trumpy.eu>
>     skype: stetru
>
>
>
>
>>     On 02/ago/2017, at 16:09, Brandt Dainow <brandt.dainow at gmail.com
>>     <mailto:brandt.dainow at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>>     I would like to see the Irish chapter work in the same way, and
>>     it was my understanding that this is how ISOC chapters were meant
>>     to be - to develop activities responding to local needs and
>>     delivered in accord with local cultures, following the broad
>>     principles and aims of ISOC, but with considerable discretion
>>     about how and what.  This clause makes lobbying a condition of
>>     being an ISOC chapter.  The document is not clear on what will
>>     happen if an ISOC chapter does not lobby for central branch aims.
>>     Will the chapter be closed?  Have all funding terminated?  Or
>>     will nothing happen?  If nothing will happen, the clause
>>     shouldn't be there. Personally, I think it is
>>     counter-productive.  It gives people an opportunity to accuse a
>>     local  chapter of being controlled by a US organisation. It
>>     obliges chapters to do something, whether that suits their
>>     circumstances or not.  It adds nothing to local chapter
>>     abilities, and doesn't really help ISOC central.  Right now,
>>     trying to get the Irish chapter started, lobbying would require
>>     time, effort and expertise we don't have.
>>
>>     ISOC pre-approve every financial allocation.  Every year we
>>     submit plans for what we will do.  If ISOC want to see a chapter
>>     lobbying, or do anything different, they can withhold funding. 
>>     The clause should be withdrawn.
>>
>>     I think this document mixes two things.  Part of it is to ensure
>>     a chapter is well-run - elections, constitutions, bank accounts,
>>     terms of office. These are all reasonable requirements to ensure
>>     any organisation is well run, and hold true in any part of the
>>     world.
>>
>>     The other aim is to control what chapters do.  This needs to be
>>     much more carefully worded, or simply eliminated.  I'm not sure
>>     any detail about chapter activity is required, and may be
>>     counter-productive.  The more detail in the document, the more
>>     chance the details won't work in certain countries.  I think it
>>     sufficient to merely require a chapter's constitution support the
>>     aims of the Internet Society, then leave it to each chapter to
>>     work out how.  When I drafted the Irish constitution, I simply
>>     took the central website aims into the constitution, while also
>>     ensuring maximum freedom for the chapter.  I also ensured the
>>     central office could review the constitution and recommend
>>     changes before it was finalised.  This should be enough for ISOC.
>>
>>     I took the aims from the website and added them to the Irish
>>     chapter constitution as follows:
>>     ------------------------
>>     2.The main object for which the Company is established is to
>>     develop and operate an Irish Chapter of the Internet Society
>>     (hereafter referred to as “ISOC”) and to implement the policies
>>     and pursue the objectives of ISOC within the Republic of Ireland.
>>     3.The following objects set out hereafter are exclusively
>>     subsidiary and ancillary to the main object set out above and
>>     these objects are to be used only for the attainment of that main
>>     object and any income generated therefrom is to be applied for
>>     the main object only.
>>     a.Facilitate and promote global, regional, and local policy
>>     environments that enable the continuing evolution of an open
>>     Internet.
>>     b.Increase the global relevance and recognition of collaborative,
>>     bottom-up, technical, consensus-based open standards development
>>     in order to protect permissionless innovation for the
>>     availability of the open Internet for current and future users;
>>     and increase development and use of security and resiliency
>>     technologies and best practices, shape the evolution of online
>>     identity infrastructures, and improve choice and consent in the
>>     handling of user data.
>>     c.Provide equal development opportunities for all people by
>>     promoting the relevance, deployment, and adoption of the open
>>     Internet.
>>     d.Increase the visibility and influence of ISOC as the
>>     recognized, trusted source on Internet issues
>>     e.To improve and develop the ISOC organization.
>>     f.Create an environment that allows ISOC to use the Internet to
>>     gather real data and experiences, and delivers messages and tools
>>     to our audiences.
>>     g.Mobilize and energize staff, emerging leaders, past and present
>>     ISOC Members, and other identified ISOC stakeholders to leverage
>>     and expand ISOC outreach on an inclusive local, regional, and
>>     global scale to advance our mission.
>>     h.Nurture a culture that mirrors the Internet attributes we wish
>>     to emulate—a team-oriented culture that values
>>     openness/inclusivity, global and cultural diversity, honesty,
>>     trust and collaboration. To be focused, forward thinking,
>>     flexible and dynamic within an environment where decision-making
>>     is transparent and accountability is maintained.
>>
>>
>>
>>     Regards,
>>     Brandt Dainow
>>     brandt.dainow at gmail.com <mailto:brandt.dainow at gmail.com>
>>
>>     https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brandt_Dainow
>>     <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brandt_Dainow>
>>     http://www.imediaconnection.com/profiles/brandt.dainow
>>     <http://www.imediaconnection.com/profiles/brandt.dainow>
>>
>>
>>     -----Original Message-----
>>     From: Sivasubramanian M [mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com
>>     <mailto:isolatedn at gmail.com>]
>>     Sent: 02 August 2017 13:58
>>     To: brandt.dainow at gmail.com <mailto:brandt.dainow at gmail.com>
>>     Cc: Alan Levin; Joyce Dogniez; ISOC Chapter Delegates;
>>     chapter-support at isoc.org <mailto:chapter-support at isoc.org>
>>     Subject: Re: [Chapter-delegates] Revised Chapter Agreement
>>
>>     A specific comment inline:
>>
>>     On Wed, Aug 2, 2017 at 6:08 PM, Brandt Dainow
>>     <brandt.dainow at gmail.com <mailto:brandt.dainow at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>     There is nothing in this document which offers more support to
>>>     chapters. The only thing this document does is increase control
>>>     over chapters by central office.  It obliges chapters to engage
>>>     in additional activities as a condition of being funded, despite
>>>     the fact all funding must be applied for in advance via detailed
>>>     proposals and may be refused.  It offers nothing positive to the
>>>     chapters.  It is merely an effort to restrict the independence
>>>     of chapters and reduce their ability to adapt to local
>>>     circumstance.  I am particularly concerned it demands on-going
>>>     lobbying activity as a condition of being a chapter.
>>
>>>     I am fairly sure this will make some chapters illegal in some
>>>     countries where lobbying by foreign-funded organisations is illegal.
>>
>>     Very pertinent observation. In India, it would get Chapters in a
>>     dangerous situation. First of all, speaking for the India Chennai
>>     Chapter alone, I would NOT agree at all to any expectations of
>>     lobbying for any position by ISOC. What we do at Chennai is to
>>     broadly understand the Internet Society's mission, which we agree
>>     with fully, and work ON OUR OWN, in our own ways, independently
>>     on position and projects that would further the evolution of the
>>     Internet along the lines. Drop the idea of expecting Chapters to
>>     lobby for positions that invariably emerge mostly from Staff
>>     deliberations.
>>
>>     --- Sivasubramanain M
>>
>>>
>>>     To be balanced, there should be some reciprocal reaching out by
>>>     central office - such as better communication and listening to
>>>     chapters.  For example, this document should have been put to
>>>     the chapters as a discussion document for feedback months before
>>>     it was finalised.  The fact it was not indicates ISOC is
>>>     anti-democratic, and run by a small central group who, in my
>>>     view, have failed to recognise ISOC is not the same type of
>>>     organisation as it was 10-20 years ago.
>>>
>>>     Regards,
>>>     Brandt Dainow
>>>     brandt.dainow at gmail.com <mailto:brandt.dainow at gmail.com>
>>>
>>>     https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brandt_Dainow
>>>     <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brandt_Dainow>
>>>     http://www.imediaconnection.com/profiles/brandt.dainow
>>>     <http://www.imediaconnection.com/profiles/brandt.dainow>
>>>
>>>     -----Original Message-----
>>>     From: Chapter-delegates
>>>     [mailto:chapter-delegates-bounces at elists.isoc.org
>>>     <mailto:chapter-delegates-bounces at elists.isoc.org>] On Behalf Of
>>>     Alan
>>>     Levin
>>>     Sent: 02 August 2017 08:56
>>>     To: Joyce Dogniez; ISOC Chapter Delegates;
>>>     chapter-support at isoc.org <mailto:chapter-support at isoc.org>
>>>     Subject: Re: [Chapter-delegates] Revised Chapter Agreement
>>>
>>>     Hi all,
>>>
>>>>     On 31 Jul 2017, at 12:06 PM, Joyce Dogniez <dogniez at isoc.org
>>>>     <mailto:dogniez at isoc.org>> wrote:
>>>>     With the increased financial support to our Chapters we also
>>>>     have an increased responsibility and accountability towards our
>>>>     community. It is the responsibility of Internet Society s
>>>>     leadership to manage its funds in a responsible and transparent
>>>>     manner.
>>>>     This implies that the legal relationship between Internet
>>>>     Society and its Chapters needs to be well defined.
>>>
>>>     Thanks for this. I think it s very good!  Well done Joyce and
>>>     others
>>>     :)
>>>
>>>>      Purpose of Chapter.
>>>>     The purpose of the Chapter shall be to support the Internet
>>>>     Society s vision, mission, and operating principles in the
>>>>     Territory.
>>>
>>>     I agree that this is one purpose of the Internet Society of South
>>>     Africa, and the purpose of this agreement :)
>>>
>>>     One of our primary purposes as an association of Internet
>>>     Society members, is to participate in the ICT policy making
>>>     processes in our country. Another purpose is to assist our
>>>     colleagues in other countries with their policy making in that
>>>     country.
>>>
>>>     We have asked for over a decade for global support on national
>>>     policy making activities. I have suggested that a policy analyst
>>>     who can compare various trending policies to be able to provide
>>>     us with important international data about other policies in
>>>     other countries of similar nature. For example we have a
>>>     Cybersecurity Bill in our Parliamentary process and it will be
>>>     invaluable to see an analysis of it s components compared to
>>>     other countries that have already been through that process,
>>>     ideally not a US centric or  North  view, something neutral
>>>     would be ideal.
>>>
>>>     So regards this section:
>>>>     Internet Society Support.
>>>>     The Internet Society will provide the following support to the
>>>>     chapters in accordance with ISOC s annual business plan:
>>>
>>>     I suggest again that we need support from ISOC Global to provide
>>>     a global policy analyst to assist with support on National
>>>     Policy Making activities. This should not be a local activity,
>>>     it s not regional, it's a global policy analyst  activity need
>>>     that we have had for decades. Please help !
>>>
>>>     Sincerely
>>>
>>>
>>>     Alan Levin
>>>     ISOC-ZA
>>>     _______________________________________________
>>>     As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically
>>>     subscribed to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the
>>>     Internet Society Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org
>>>
>>>     _______________________________________________
>>>     As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically
>>>     subscribed to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the
>>>     Internet Society Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org
>>
>>
>>
>>     --
>>     Sivasubramanian M
>>
>>     _______________________________________________
>>     As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically
>>     subscribed
>>     to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet
>>     Society
>>     Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org
>
>
>     _______________________________________________
>     As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically
>     subscribed
>     to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet
>     Society
>     Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society
> Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org


-- 
Prof.dr.Borka Jerman-Blažič Head, Laboratory for Open systems and 
Networks Jožef Stefan Institute and Faculty of Economics, Ljubljana 
University Slovenia tel. +386 1 477 3408 tel. +386 1 477 3756 mob. +386 
41 678 410
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