IF YOU CAN COUNT, ITS A NO-BRAINER.

The study, concluded last week, was funded by ICANN and included committee members either on record as opposing "at large" membership and board inclusion, or neutral on the issue. Proponents of democratic elections and at-large participation in internet governance were not included; former and current ICANN players were.

Among those players, former ICANN Chair Esther Dyson, who told the United States House of Representatives' Committee on Energy and Commerce on July 22, 1999."... it is ICANN's highest priority to complete the work necessary to implement a workable At-Large membership structure and to conduct elections for the nine At-Large Directors that must be chosen by the membership."

"The bylaws have never been implemented ...," ICANN committee Chair Carl Bildt explained in an Internet.com report last week. "... We are in no way bound by the current bylaws, bylaws that can be changed -- they're not the 10 Commandments, they are (just) the structure at the present."

Indeed.

The NGO and Academic ICANN Study (NAIS) simultaneously conducted an independent study, "ICANN, Legitimacy, and the Public Voice: Making Global Participation and Representation Work," its members comprised of experienced researchers from nine organizations worldwide with substantial expertise in ICANN.

The bottom line is that a two thirds vote is required to change ICANN bylaws (which has already occurred a record number of times since ICANN's inception.)

Keeping that in mind, the ICANN study concluded that "... the At-Large membership select a third of ICANN's Board." That's select, not elect. One third of the Board. And ICANN wants to charge you for membership and voting (in addition to your domain name fees.)

The NAIS study concluded that "The Membership should be represented in ICANN's central decision-making structure, the Board of Directors. Balance and appropriate representation require that the [at-large] Membership directly elect at least the same number of seats on the ICANN Board as the various Supporting Organizations in total (nine currently).

The NAIS also recommends that ICANN fund the at-large membership.

Do the math. Short of an outright revolution, the NAIS conclusion the only way to go.

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