[Chapter-delegates] ISOC 2022 Action Plan

[Veni Markovski]

Hi, everyone!

As a chapter leader (ISOC-Bulgaria chair of the Board) I read the 2022 
ISOC Action Plan <https://www.internetsociety.org/action-plan/2022/> 
(also attached to this message), and I saw some interesting topics 
covered, but was surprised to see a lot of important, at least for our 
chapter, issues missing.

To start with what *is* mentioned: the Plan recognizes that the we, the 
chapter leaders are "a  key to building local communities that thrive", 
and states that ISOC will support them "with training, networking 
opportunities, and fundamental knowledge about Internet Society projects 
to ensure they have the tools they need to build local solutions to 
global Internet challenges." ISOC also promises that in 2022 it will 
"train 500 chapter members on topics fundamental" to its mission.

I am not sure what ISOC means by the assumption that we are "building 
local communities", but it's a good thing that ISOC plans to train our 
members, though 500 is not that much (ISOC Bulgaria alone has 121 
members), so I hope the training will reach many more chapter members!

What is *not* in the Action Plan are some items, which are quite 
important for ISOC - Bulgaria, and I believe as well as for other 
chapters, which are engaged in making sure that the multistakeholder 
model of Internet governance is preserved and improved, including by 
providing experts and expertise in the national dialogues, discussing 
how to keep the Internet open, democratic, interoperable, etc.

One would expect to see some ISOC concrete plans in the section about 
Strengthening the Internet (page 7), but there's nothing about the 
possibilities for ISOC to engage either directly with the United 
Nations, the ITU and other UN agencies, where member states are 
discussing different ways of changing the multistakeholder model of 
Internet governance (MSM) to a multilateral one, or indirectly - with 
the help of the chapters through the governmental delegations to these 
intergovernmental organizations.

However, there is a section called "Shaping Legal Precedent in Alignment 
with Our Mission", where ISOC states that "As an expert voice for a 
bigger, stronger Internet, the Internet Society is positioned to offer 
subject-matter and technical expertise to courts." Further ISOC tell us 
that "In 2022, the initiative will start by identifying up to six 
important, precedential cases and controversies, then we will pursue two 
by filing briefs at appropriate U.S. courts of law."

It is not a surprise that ISOC, which is based in the US, would engage 
in such actions, but there's not a word about engaging with issues, 
relating to actions (including court cases) at the European Union level. 
As we all know from the GDPR experience, some of the decisions, taken at 
the EU level have the potential to touch upon the Internet around the 
world. ISOC has changed the level of engagement with the EU in the last 
year*, and the lack of any mentioning of the EU in such an important 
document says a lot.

In 2022 there will be a number of major intergovernmental conferences, 
which will be discussing, among other issues, topics, directly related 
to the Internet.

There is nothing about them in the Action Plan.

One can wonder why there are some unnamed "six court cases" in the USA, 
but not a single mentioning of the ITU World Telecommunication 
Standardization Assembly, or the ITU Plenipotentiary conference, for 
example. Both of these conferences will be discussing issues that are 
quite close to ISOC's mission. At the United Nations there will be 
several processes, discussing cybersecurity and drafting of a new, UN 
Cybercrime Convention, but the Action Plan doesn't mention anything 
about ISOC engaging, although it's an ITU Sector Member, and has a 
consultative status to ECOSOC. All these conferences have the potential 
to cause changes in the Internet for decades to come, and we have seen 
statements by member states in that respect.

We have raised these issues in the past; we have seen publications in 
the mainstream media** about the potential threat to the MSM, and given 
what is coming in 2022, it's strange that the Action Plan doesn't 
mention any planned actions by ISOC with regards to this.

Strengthening the Internet does not happen only in the US court rooms, 
but weakening it might happen at many intergovernmental organizations 
and EU courts, and would have been good to see that ISOC Action Plan 
recognizes that.

Now, if ISOC has any plans to do that, but  they are not listed in the 
Action Plan, does that mean they are not important enough? I doubt it, 
given that the intention to engage in concrete number of legal cases in 
the USA made it into the Action Plan, but would be quite happy if that's 
just an omission, and we are informed about possible actions, which are 
not there.

And finally, in the beginning of the document ISOC states:

"The actions we take now are critical.

The Internet Society’s Action Plan 2022 provides a roadmap to keep the 
Internet a resource for everyone, everywhere.

For decades to come."

Does it?


______
* - Currently the head of EU relations at ISOC is with a title of 
"director for European Government and Regulatory Affairs", but before 
David took that job, the position was "regional vice-president"; 
currently there are such regional VPs for North America, Middle East, 
Africa, LAC, Asia-Pacific, but not for Europe.

** - If folks are interested, send me an email and I will gladly share a 
list of some of these publications.

-- 

Best regards,
Veni
https://www.veni.com
pgp:5BA1366Eveni at veni.com

The opinions expressed above are those of the
author, not of any organizations, associated
with or related to him in any given way.
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