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The first draft submitted will be placed here.

ICANN under its own Bylaws and the Affirmation of Commitments must ensure that decisions made related to the global technical coordination be made in the public interest and must be accountable and transparent. In making recommendations in the context of global acceptability, the ATLAS II Accountability and Transparency Thematic Group recognizes that there are two constituencies: the ICANN community and the larger global community of Internet users.

Definitions:

Accountability: The responsibility to answer for whether you have achieved what you committed to do.

Transparency: The openness and accessibility of decision-making processes and outcomes. All stakeholders, including users and governments, must be able to trace back how a particular decision has been reached. The default mode of operation within ICANN must be complete transparency.

Recommendation:

This group recognizes there are many areas for internal reform that were identified by the ATRT2 report and we support their implementation. Our recommendations relate to ICANN’s relationship to the wider global community.

Accessibility

Members of the general public should be able participate in ICANN on an issue-by-issue basis. Information on the ICANN website should, where practical, be in clear and non-technical language.

Public complaints

The roles and jurisdiction of the Ombudsman should be expanded. The website should provide a clear and simple way for the public to make complaints.

Identification of public issues

Both the areas of the Ombudsman and Compliance should report regularly on complaints received by category of complaints, issues being complained and their outcomes. Issues that are not resolved should have reports on how they will be addressed, .

Board oversight

There should be a mechanism to hold the board itself responsible for action or in-action:

• Cross-community Standing Oversight Body that:
  • Must have access to all relevant information
  • Should have power to compel the ICANN Board to take remedial action
  • Membership that is independent of the ICANN Board