[Chapter-delegates] [2021-2022-fincomm] Something to contemlate

Tue Nov 23 02:24:19 PST 2021

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the quick reply.

On Tue, Nov 23, 2021 at 10:03 AM Dave Burstein <daveb at dslprime.com> wrote:

> Ted
>
> I am too tired to answer in depth right now.  Thank you for the courtesy
> of a reply.
>
> I wrote to you, as Chair of the Board, because Andrew said he wanted the
> board to decide about revealing our donors. I'm urging you to do that. I
> believe that if you consider the issue for a few days you'll realize it's
> wrong for a policy group to hide its sources of funds.
>
> I think our fundamental difference here is in the phrase "policy group".

The Internet Society society's mission as a charitable organization is to
promote the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet for the
benefit of all people throughout the world.  Aspects of that mission mean
we support the evolution of the Internet protocol suite (largely via the
IETF), the deployment of networks to the unconnected or underserved (via
the community networks projects, IXPs, and chapter activities), the
development of operational best practices (e.g. via MANRS), and a suite of
educational activities.  While there are projects to educate that should be
of benefit to policy-makers, the majority of the work is to help folks
understand how the Internet works and why specific technologies (like IPv6
or encryption) are key parts of its evolution.

The amount of effort ISOC spends making specific policy recommendations is
strictly limited both by US law and by internal controls.  Some of those
recommendations are important, certainly, as they call attention to
activities like Internet shutdowns that clearly damage the Internet's
ability to reach its full potential .  But those policy positions do not
define ISOC; its mission does.

I am glad that we have the support of our friends, and that so many
individuals and companies share in the desire to further the society's
mission.  I would be more than happy to give our donors  the option to be
recognized.  But requiring it runs contrary to my experience of best
practice for other charities.  If other trustees wish to bring the matter
to the board I will, as chair, make sure that the matter is fairly
considered.  Were it to come to a vote today, however, my own vote would be
against.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts on this,

regards,

Ted Hardie

> There is no doubt that best practice in policy work is to declare your
> donors. I've spent 23 years reporting DC and have no doubt corporations
> generally give money in the expectation of support.
>
> We're not talking about charitable contributions by someone like yourself
> who might want to remain anonymous. I believe - but don't have the data to
> prove - that a large share of ISOC donations come from companies interested
> in the positions we take. I certainly have observed Verizon, Comcast, AT&T,
> Google and other funders use their sway over non-profits that take their
> money. The first three very publicly.
>
> As Eric Rabe of Verizon explained to me, "We support our friends."
>
>
>
> On Tue, Nov 23, 2021 at 3:03 AM Ted Hardie via Chapter-delegates <
> chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org> wrote:
>
>> Hi Dave,
>>
>> First, it's not clear to me to whom you wish this forwarded, and if you
>> would like me to forward it, that would be helpful information.
>>
>> Second, it's common practice in the U.S. to permit donors to choose
>> whether to have their names listed as benefactors of a specific non-profit
>> or charity event.   The common reason for that is simple: to avoid being
>> inundated with other requests for funds from non-profits who, seeing your
>> support for a related organization, decide to explore whether you'd also
>> support them.  I have personally made anonymous donations for exactly this
>> reason.
>>
>> You appear to want this in part because of a belief that the donors are
>> getting influence over the work of ISOC as a result of the donation.  I
>> don't think that's a warranted conclusion, in part because the list of
>> donors is not generally bruited about.  Since the board generally doesn't
>> see the list of donors, to take one example, even an unconscious desire to
>> modify the work of the society to satisfy the donors is not really
>> possible.
>>
>> Your anecdote below is about a specific chapter which, as you know, are
>> distinct organizations.  If you have concerns about their management of
>> their donor rolls, it might be worth chatting with them about it directly.
>>
>> regards,
>>
>> Ted Hardie
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Nov 23, 2021 at 3:03 AM Dave Burstein <daveb at dslprime.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Ted
>>>
>>> Any policy advocacy organization that hides its sources of funding
>>> without a darn good reason resembles astroturf. There is no shame or likely
>>> persecution for contributing to the Internet Society that should require
>>> hiding our donors. We should always have been open about who pays our
>>> bills.
>>>
>>> If anyone, board or member, objects to disclosing our contributors,
>>> please speak publicly or write on this list within ten days. In particular,
>>> if anyone on the chapters or organizations committees has an important
>>> disagreement, please speak up within ten days.
>>>
>>> If there is no substantive objection, please circulate to the board a
>>> simple resolution, perhaps
>>> "The CEO shall periodically make publicly available a list of donors to
>>> the Internet Society of over $5,000 with the amount they have donated."
>>>
>>> As everyone who has been active in the Internet Society knows, donor
>>> influence has long been a concern. For example, David Vyorst, then Chair of
>>> the DC Chapter, told me he agreed with me on a Net Neutrality proposal and
>>> his chapter would like to support it. But, "We're looking to get Verizon to
>>> fund our next event and we need them."  There are many other examples;
>>> fundraising in DC policy circles is about influence.
>>>
>>> It's time for a strong leader. Some obvious, easy steps that could show
>>> what side you are on:
>>>
>>> End your predecessor's gag order and allow (a moderate number) of member
>>> comments at the next board meeting
>>>
>>> Do something about the increased imbalance of the board, totally
>>> dominated by the US and allies. Two-thirds of the Internet is in the global
>>> South. Until we adopt to that WWE will be increasingly ineffective. I'm
>>> sure two or three board members would step aside to make room. If not, the
>>> procedure for amending the bylaws for a larger board is straightforward and
>>> can be done quickly.
>>>
>>> We can and should turn on comments on our website, which can be
>>> moderated. We also can accept blogs from our members. ISOC suffers from
>>> only allowing the "like-minded" to have a public say.
>>>
>>> Forward, please.
>>>
>>> Dave Burstein
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Nov 22, 2021 at 8:00 PM Andrew Sullivan via Chapter-delegates <
>>> chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Nov 22, 2021 at 07:53:48PM -0500, Dave Burstein wrote:
>>>> >
>>>> >Please make sure the report contains the details on all contributors of
>>>> >$5,000 and more, including amounts, and all those paid $200,000 or
>>>> more.
>>>>
>>>> Are you asking for the names/identities of such contributors?  That
>>>> would be a change in practice (these are not historically included in the
>>>> 990 that is released for inspection), so I think it probably requires a
>>>> resolution by the board after a consultation with the relevant advisory
>>>> committees.
>>>>
>>>> If that's not what you meant, please elucidate.
>>>>
>>>> Best regards,
>>>>
>>>> A
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Andrew Sullivan
>>>> President & CEO, Internet Society
>>>> sullivan at isoc.org
>>>> +1 416 731 1261
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>> 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://admin.internetsociety.org/622619/User/Login
>> View the Internet Society Code of Conduct:
>> https://www.internetsociety.org/become-a-member/code-of-conduct/
>>
>
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