English subtitles for clip: File:ICANN History Project - Interview with Chris Disspain, ICANN Vice Chair, 2017-2019 (308E).webm
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1 00:00:10,309 --> 00:00:13,449 Chris Disspain, an ICANN Board member and a long time figure 2 00:00:13,449 --> 00:00:15,919 in the country code top level domain sphere. 3 00:00:15,919 --> 00:00:18,281 Chris, in the early days, 4 00:00:18,281 --> 00:00:21,809 Jon Postel handled most ccTLD delegations directly. 5 00:00:21,809 --> 00:00:24,098 When ICANN was formed, 6 00:00:24,098 --> 00:00:27,337 the CC Registers disputed a lot of the ICAAN fees. 7 00:00:27,337 --> 00:00:30,534 There was a lot of contention. Tell us about that period. 8 00:00:30,534 --> 00:00:35,774 It was wider than the fees, Brad. It was the whole ICANN concept. 9 00:00:35,774 --> 00:00:38,663 ccTLD was a sovereign, and still are. 10 00:00:38,897 --> 00:00:44,497 And when I first came along to ICANN in November 2000, 11 00:00:44,497 --> 00:00:47,519 a lot of ccTLDs turned up to ICANN meetings 12 00:00:47,519 --> 00:00:49,519 to make sure nothing happened. 13 00:00:49,519 --> 00:00:52,573 There was an argument going on about 14 00:00:52,573 --> 00:00:54,971 the legitimacy of ICANN. 15 00:00:54,971 --> 00:00:58,354 And more importantly, even if ICANN was legitimate, 16 00:00:58,354 --> 00:01:01,940 whether the ccTLD world should bother to be involved, 17 00:01:01,940 --> 00:01:03,850 and should they pay them any money, 18 00:01:03,850 --> 00:01:05,922 was of course, a major part of that question. 19 00:01:05,922 --> 00:01:08,900 As well as should there be contracts 20 00:01:08,900 --> 00:01:12,546 between ICANN and the ccTLD Manager. 21 00:01:12,546 --> 00:01:16,257 So for the first few years from, say 2000, 22 00:01:16,257 --> 00:01:20,340 the CC's would meet to talk about that. 23 00:01:20,340 --> 00:01:24,948 And eventually, in about 2002, 24 00:01:24,948 --> 00:01:29,297 enough people in the ccTLD world 25 00:01:29,297 --> 00:01:35,264 felt it was worth exploring having a proper interface, 26 00:01:35,264 --> 00:01:37,339 a separate ccTLD interface with ICANN. 27 00:01:37,339 --> 00:01:40,603 Originally the DNSO, the Domain Name Supporting Organization, 28 00:01:40,603 --> 00:01:43,141 included CCs, but they left, 29 00:01:43,141 --> 00:01:47,125 and so the question was should we have our own organization? 30 00:01:47,125 --> 00:01:52,660 And as part of a look at ICANN's structure, 31 00:01:52,660 --> 00:01:55,229 a review of ICANN's structure, when we moved to 32 00:01:55,229 --> 00:01:57,712 what we have now, the Supporting Organization model, 33 00:01:57,712 --> 00:02:00,607 there was a call for there to be a ccNSO. 34 00:02:00,607 --> 00:02:03,483 And than then took quite some considerable time 35 00:02:03,483 --> 00:02:08,226 to chorale enough ccTLDs together 36 00:02:08,226 --> 00:02:13,378 to give it critical mass so that it was possible to negotiate 37 00:02:13,378 --> 00:02:15,310 the formation of the ccNSO. 38 00:02:15,310 --> 00:02:19,519 In those early days, is it an over simplification to say that 39 00:02:19,519 --> 00:02:24,564 the CCs didn't automatically assume ICANN authority. 40 00:02:24,564 --> 00:02:26,950 Well, they still don't. 41 00:02:26,950 --> 00:02:30,740 I mean they accept that ICANN has its role. 42 00:02:30,740 --> 00:02:33,062 And that they have their role. 43 00:02:33,062 --> 00:02:35,437 And CCs can choose, 44 00:02:35,437 --> 00:02:37,915 because there's no contractual relationship, 45 00:02:37,915 --> 00:02:39,781 unlike in the gTLD world, 46 00:02:39,781 --> 00:02:42,427 where every gTLD is in a relationship with ICANN. 47 00:02:42,427 --> 00:02:45,456 In the CC world, with a few small exceptions, 48 00:02:45,456 --> 00:02:47,542 there is no contractual relationship. 49 00:02:47,542 --> 00:02:53,542 So that that means is the CC's come voluntarily to ICANN. 50 00:02:53,542 --> 00:02:56,575 At its absolute baseline, 51 00:02:56,575 --> 00:03:01,705 all a ccTLD Manager really cares about, is the IANA function. 52 00:03:01,705 --> 00:03:05,450 And as long as the IANA function works so the ccTLD Manager 53 00:03:05,450 --> 00:03:09,298 can update a phone number in the database or change an address. 54 00:03:09,298 --> 00:03:11,878 As long as that works, and as long as it's stable, 55 00:03:11,878 --> 00:03:14,907 ccTLD Managers at the base are happy. 56 00:03:14,907 --> 00:03:20,034 There's very little policy at a global level 57 00:03:20,034 --> 00:03:22,440 that has any affect on ccTLDs. 58 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:27,700 One example is the interpretation of RFC 1591, 59 00:03:27,700 --> 00:03:30,184 which is the RFC that Jon Postel wrote 60 00:03:30,184 --> 00:03:35,163 to govern the way that a ccTLD management 61 00:03:35,163 --> 00:03:37,350 could be transferred from one body to another. 62 00:03:37,350 --> 00:03:42,577 CC's have completed now a policy development 63 00:03:42,577 --> 00:03:44,850 on how that should be interpreted. 64 00:03:44,850 --> 00:03:47,227 Now, the interesting thing to remember about that is 65 00:03:47,227 --> 00:03:50,865 that is a global policy that tells ICANN what to do. 66 00:03:50,865 --> 00:03:54,246 Not a global policy that tells the ccTLDs what to do. 67 00:03:54,246 --> 00:03:56,628 And so this independence, 68 00:03:56,628 --> 00:03:59,857 each one being sovereign, and coming voluntarily, 69 00:03:59,857 --> 00:04:04,467 in my view, actually significantly contributes 70 00:04:04,467 --> 00:04:06,570 to the legitimacy of ICANN. 71 00:04:06,570 --> 00:04:10,013 Because you've got non-contracted people 72 00:04:10,013 --> 00:04:12,315 who run their own TLD 73 00:04:12,315 --> 00:04:15,320 turning up and involving themselves in the ICANN model. 74 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:15,999 Not because they have to. 75 00:04:15,999 --> 00:04:18,350 Not because they have to, but because they choose to, so. 76 00:04:18,350 --> 00:04:22,870 Was there an assumption on the ICANN side of that equation 77 00:04:22,870 --> 00:04:28,472 in those very early days that the CC's would fall into line, or... 78 00:04:28,472 --> 00:04:30,737 Yes, absolutely. At that time, 79 00:04:30,737 --> 00:04:34,500 ICANN was a small number of people, 80 00:04:34,500 --> 00:04:38,658 so individual's views held sway. 81 00:04:38,658 --> 00:04:40,658 And for quite some time, 82 00:04:40,658 --> 00:04:44,390 there was a view that ccTLDs would sign contracts, 83 00:04:44,390 --> 00:04:46,001 that would happen. 84 00:04:46,001 --> 00:04:50,214 And ccTLDs would be obliged to make financial contributions. 85 00:04:50,214 --> 00:04:53,506 It just didn't happen because it was never going to happen. 86 00:04:53,506 --> 00:04:57,809 I mean getting the ccNSO formed in itself, 87 00:04:57,809 --> 00:05:03,366 we really got it across the line in Montreal in 2003. 88 00:05:03,366 --> 00:05:10,659 Not because we had a lot of ccTLD Managers willing to be in it. 89 00:05:10,659 --> 00:05:14,444 But more because the vocal causes against it 90 00:05:14,444 --> 00:05:18,356 just accepted that they wouldn't join, 91 00:05:18,356 --> 00:05:21,364 but they wouldn't block it. 92 00:05:21,364 --> 00:05:26,164 So in other words, there was no active blocking by any CC? 93 00:05:26,164 --> 00:05:28,226 There was a little bit of active blocking but not enough to... 94 00:05:28,226 --> 00:05:29,226 A small number? 95 00:05:29,226 --> 00:05:30,847 Yes, a very small number and not enough to make it an issue. 96 00:05:30,847 --> 00:05:34,434 So, when we set it up the by-law said 97 00:05:34,434 --> 00:05:37,528 it doesn't officially become the ccNSO 98 00:05:37,528 --> 00:05:42,012 until you have four members in each of the regions. 99 00:05:42,012 --> 00:05:43,935 So you've got Europe, Asia-Pacific, 100 00:05:43,935 --> 00:05:47,567 Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa. 101 00:05:47,567 --> 00:05:49,846 And you think about that for a second, 102 00:05:49,846 --> 00:05:51,409 you've got to get four members in each of those regions. 103 00:05:51,409 --> 00:05:54,200 Now, the North America region is already a challenge because 104 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:59,323 there aren't actually that many North American region members. 105 00:05:59,323 --> 00:06:01,323 And, in fact, we're in Puerto Rico right now, 106 00:06:01,323 --> 00:06:06,036 and Puerto Rico .pr was a founding member of the ccNSO. 107 00:06:06,036 --> 00:06:12,250 In Africa, we didn't have an issue, 108 00:06:12,250 --> 00:06:14,250 we got four members there. 109 00:06:14,250 --> 00:06:17,428 Asia-Pacific was okay because we had Australia, New Zealand, 110 00:06:17,428 --> 00:06:21,681 Taiwan, and one other, which I can't remember. 111 00:06:21,681 --> 00:06:24,691 - But Europe was a real challenge. - Why? 112 00:06:24,691 --> 00:06:30,480 Because, the seat of the antipathy towards ICANN 113 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,273 was based in Europe. 114 00:06:32,300 --> 00:06:38,300 And so you had large ccTLDs who simply wouldn't join. 115 00:06:38,300 --> 00:06:42,808 So the Netherlands — .nl was a founding member. 116 00:06:42,808 --> 00:06:46,356 And in the end, we had to get — 117 00:06:46,356 --> 00:06:49,371 Gibraltar became a member, 118 00:06:49,371 --> 00:06:52,994 and we couldn't find a fourth member. 119 00:06:52,994 --> 00:06:56,098 But because of the quirk of the ICANN regional setup 120 00:06:56,098 --> 00:07:02,100 that says if you are a protectorate you are part of that region. 121 00:07:02,100 --> 00:07:05,150 So the French Polynesian Islands are actually part of Europe. 122 00:07:05,150 --> 00:07:07,350 We managed to persuade the Cayman Islands 123 00:07:07,350 --> 00:07:10,238 to join as a European member of the ccNSO. 124 00:07:10,238 --> 00:07:13,790 Was it naïve in the early days on the part of ICANN 125 00:07:13,790 --> 00:07:17,944 to assume that the CC's would just fall in line? 126 00:07:17,944 --> 00:07:20,895 I'm not sure that it was an assumption that they'd do that. 127 00:07:20,895 --> 00:07:23,190 And I don't think anyone was naïve. 128 00:07:23,190 --> 00:07:28,669 But I do think that there was a real need 129 00:07:28,669 --> 00:07:31,530 from the point of view of legitimacy 130 00:07:31,530 --> 00:07:36,422 of making ICANN legitimate in this area 131 00:07:36,422 --> 00:07:40,013 to be able to show that you've brought the ccTLDs along. 132 00:07:40,013 --> 00:07:41,691 It's the same thing with in respect to governments. 133 00:07:41,691 --> 00:07:43,729 If you haven't got the governments in, 134 00:07:43,729 --> 00:07:48,600 then how can you say that you have a multi-stakeholder model? 135 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:49,600 You just can't. 136 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,415 What you've got is a trade organization for gTLDs. 137 00:07:52,415 --> 00:07:58,904 So it was really just like we have to have this, 138 00:07:58,904 --> 00:08:00,504 and this is how we're going to get it. 139 00:08:00,504 --> 00:08:04,726 And over time, we kind of wore it down 140 00:08:04,726 --> 00:08:07,289 to a point where people were okay, we'll accept this. 141 00:08:07,289 --> 00:08:08,792 And I think that's worked pretty well, really. 142 00:08:08,792 --> 00:08:10,189 You wore it down, how? 143 00:08:10,189 --> 00:08:13,542 Oh, well in various different ways by those of us 144 00:08:13,542 --> 00:08:15,572 who were sort of committed to the multi-stakeholder model 145 00:08:15,572 --> 00:08:20,991 and wanted this to work by tempering the agitation 146 00:08:20,991 --> 00:08:22,991 from the ones on the other end of the pole 147 00:08:22,991 --> 00:08:24,991 who just said not interested, we'll never do it. 148 00:08:24,991 --> 00:08:26,991 We kind of brought the parties together. 149 00:08:26,991 --> 00:08:30,753 I mean in Montreal, there was 150 00:08:30,753 --> 00:08:35,437 Bart Boswinkel from .nl, Bernie Turcutte from .ca, and me, 151 00:08:35,437 --> 00:08:41,437 Alejandro Pisanty, and Hans from the Netherlands 152 00:08:41,437 --> 00:08:43,579 on the Board. We spent five days 153 00:08:43,579 --> 00:08:46,747 in a basement of the Sheraton Hotel in Montreal, 154 00:08:46,747 --> 00:08:50,761 nutting out the final bits of the ccNSO. 155 00:08:50,761 --> 00:08:52,191 Interesting. This was what time frame again? 156 00:08:52,191 --> 00:08:53,865 It was 2003, in Montreal. 157 00:08:53,865 --> 00:08:57,659 And then what happened was that the deal 158 00:08:57,659 --> 00:09:01,026 had to go to the GAC, to the Governmental Advisory Committee, 159 00:09:01,026 --> 00:09:03,052 to be ticked yes, and endorsed. 160 00:09:03,052 --> 00:09:05,624 And it had to go to the ccTLD room, 161 00:09:05,624 --> 00:09:11,350 and have enough buy-in from the ccTLD managers in that room 162 00:09:11,350 --> 00:09:13,371 for us to be able to say we are now going to push the button 163 00:09:13,371 --> 00:09:16,573 and see if we can find the four members from each region. 164 00:09:16,573 --> 00:09:21,851 During that time, that afternoon, there were three or four hours, 165 00:09:21,851 --> 00:09:24,431 The GAC Chair was Sharil Tarmizi. 166 00:09:24,431 --> 00:09:26,441 He was, obviously, chairing the GAC. 167 00:09:26,441 --> 00:09:31,489 I was sort of the nominated negotiator, 168 00:09:31,489 --> 00:09:34,441 if you like, in the ccTLD room. 169 00:09:34,441 --> 00:09:38,771 Sharil was explaining to the GAC how this was all going to work, 170 00:09:38,771 --> 00:09:39,841 and they should endorse it. 171 00:09:39,841 --> 00:09:42,281 And I was explaining to the ccTLDs how it was going to work. 172 00:09:42,281 --> 00:09:45,161 A number of ccTLD managers, even at that late stage, 173 00:09:45,161 --> 00:09:47,011 were running between the two rooms 174 00:09:47,011 --> 00:09:50,950 telling the GAC that it wasn't going well in the ccTLD room, 175 00:09:50,950 --> 00:09:53,600 and telling the ccTLD room it wasn't going well in the GAC. 176 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:57,461 Fortunately, Sharil and I were on Messenger with each other. 177 00:09:57,461 --> 00:09:59,251 Messenger, remember that? 178 00:09:59,251 --> 00:10:01,351 It shows you how long ago it was, right? 179 00:10:01,351 --> 00:10:05,221 So we were able to make sure that nothing went wrong. 180 00:10:05,221 --> 00:10:06,631 But it was touch and go. 181 00:10:06,631 --> 00:10:09,221 - Obviously, a critical moment. - Oh yes. 182 00:10:09,221 --> 00:10:11,281 What were some of the others? 183 00:10:11,281 --> 00:10:12,720 Oh, IDNs. 184 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:19,539 IDNs is the thing that I am probably the proudest of, 185 00:10:19,539 --> 00:10:22,303 that the CC's did, with the IDN Fast Track. 186 00:10:22,303 --> 00:10:24,303 Because of the expansion and the inclusivity? 187 00:10:24,303 --> 00:10:28,835 Yes. I mean what happened was we are at an APTLD, 188 00:10:28,835 --> 00:10:35,130 an Asia-Pacific TLD meeting in Dubai in 2007, I think. 189 00:10:35,130 --> 00:10:39,067 And Theresa Swinehart from ICANN, 190 00:10:39,067 --> 00:10:41,503 Janis Karklins, who was then the Chair of the GAC, 191 00:10:41,503 --> 00:10:45,492 and I, were at this meeting and we were in a session. 192 00:10:45,492 --> 00:10:52,022 The wave of passion that came out of that room — 193 00:10:52,022 --> 00:10:53,681 it was the first time we'd had a meeting 194 00:10:53,681 --> 00:10:55,711 in the Arab region in the Asia-Pacific thing. 195 00:10:55,711 --> 00:10:58,271 The wave of passion that came out of that room, 196 00:10:58,271 --> 00:11:01,741 to say this is ridiculous, we cannot use the internet properly 197 00:11:01,741 --> 00:11:05,131 because we cannot type in our script. 198 00:11:05,131 --> 00:11:08,731 It was so amazing, that at the coffee break, 199 00:11:08,731 --> 00:11:12,101 Janis, Theresa, and I went and stood at a table in the hallway, 200 00:11:12,101 --> 00:11:14,881 with literally an envelope and a pen, 201 00:11:14,881 --> 00:11:17,831 and wrote down how could we make this work 202 00:11:17,831 --> 00:11:19,961 so that it happened quickly. 203 00:11:19,961 --> 00:11:22,671 Knowing that a full-blown policy development process 204 00:11:22,671 --> 00:11:24,781 would take a considerable amount of time. 205 00:11:24,781 --> 00:11:28,205 And from there, we developed the concept of having the Fast Track. 206 00:11:28,205 --> 00:11:32,161 The Fast Track was the first time in ICANN 207 00:11:32,161 --> 00:11:37,141 where the GAC had been prepared to actually nominate people 208 00:11:37,141 --> 00:11:39,200 from the GAC to actually be on a working group. 209 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,517 The GAC's way of working previously had been 210 00:11:41,517 --> 00:11:43,700 we don't do that, we're all in it together, 211 00:11:43,700 --> 00:11:44,750 and you just tell us what you're doing, 212 00:11:44,750 --> 00:11:46,136 and then we'll sort it out later. 213 00:11:46,136 --> 00:11:47,395 But they actually agreed to put 214 00:11:47,395 --> 00:11:49,979 individual people on the working group we had at large. 215 00:11:49,979 --> 00:11:54,061 So it was actually the first cross- community working group in ICANN. 216 00:11:54,061 --> 00:11:55,500 Although, we didn't call it that, then. 217 00:11:55,500 --> 00:11:59,538 And that worked to build the Fast Track and to make that work 218 00:11:59,538 --> 00:12:02,395 so that IDNs were able to be launched. 219 00:12:02,395 --> 00:12:05,237 Now, I have a terrible memory for dates and times, 220 00:12:05,237 --> 00:12:06,779 and I cannot remember the date. 221 00:12:06,779 --> 00:12:08,779 But I do remember it was in Seoul, 222 00:12:08,779 --> 00:12:12,000 and I was Chairing the ccNSO. 223 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,000 Peter Dengate Thrush was the Chair of the Board. 224 00:12:15,500 --> 00:12:21,028 I don't remember but I think Avri was gNSO Chair. 225 00:12:21,028 --> 00:12:24,050 The Board passed the resolution 226 00:12:24,050 --> 00:12:26,050 to launch the IDN Fast Track, 227 00:12:26,050 --> 00:12:28,678 and everyone in that room was in tears, 228 00:12:28,678 --> 00:12:30,973 because it meant so much. 229 00:12:30,973 --> 00:12:32,500 It was an extraordinary moment. 230 00:12:32,758 --> 00:12:38,386 To the layperson to the ICANN world there is, I think, 231 00:12:38,386 --> 00:12:41,600 not clarity in terms of the relationship 232 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,248 between CCs and their respective governments. 233 00:12:44,248 --> 00:12:47,302 Yes, well that varies from CC to CC, right. 234 00:12:47,302 --> 00:12:50,865 So you have some CCs who are government. 235 00:12:50,865 --> 00:12:53,247 They are people nominated by their government. 236 00:12:53,247 --> 00:12:55,721 And, you know, China is an obvious example of that. 237 00:12:56,542 --> 00:13:02,285 There are some CCs that are entirely independent of government. 238 00:13:02,285 --> 00:13:05,825 Now, most of those are 239 00:13:05,825 --> 00:13:10,700 legacy ones where you've still got 240 00:13:10,700 --> 00:13:12,528 an individual who is running that ccTLD 241 00:13:12,528 --> 00:13:15,753 who Jon Postel nominated. Not all, but most. 242 00:13:15,753 --> 00:13:18,541 And they might talk to their government, 243 00:13:18,541 --> 00:13:20,447 but they're entirely independent of them. 244 00:13:20,447 --> 00:13:23,314 Some are academia and universities running them, 245 00:13:23,314 --> 00:13:25,925 because a lot of Jon's nominations 246 00:13:25,925 --> 00:13:28,002 were obviously in the universities. 247 00:13:28,002 --> 00:13:32,532 Then you have the ones that have the sort of middle-ground model, 248 00:13:32,532 --> 00:13:37,130 which is usually a sort of membership-based 249 00:13:37,130 --> 00:13:42,285 independent organization that has a good liaison role. 250 00:13:42,285 --> 00:13:43,829 The government either has a liaison role 251 00:13:43,829 --> 00:13:47,266 or in some cases, an oversight role in respect to that organization. 252 00:13:47,266 --> 00:13:49,266 So the relationship varies, 253 00:13:49,266 --> 00:13:51,974 but if you want to run a successful ccTLD 254 00:13:51,974 --> 00:13:53,272 you pretty much need 255 00:13:53,272 --> 00:13:55,186 to have a good relationship with your government. 256 00:13:55,186 --> 00:13:58,207 So in that context, Chris, was there concern 257 00:13:58,207 --> 00:14:00,017 on the part of many governments 258 00:14:00,017 --> 00:14:04,509 about this involvement in ICANN in those early days? 259 00:14:04,509 --> 00:14:07,689 Well again, I think it varies from government to government. 260 00:14:10,689 --> 00:14:12,450 In those days, there were some ccTLDs 261 00:14:12,450 --> 00:14:17,600 who didn't want there to be 262 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:22,621 anything too loud or too far above the parapet, 263 00:14:22,621 --> 00:14:23,882 because their concern was 264 00:14:23,882 --> 00:14:25,698 if government actually wakes up to us 265 00:14:25,698 --> 00:14:28,009 then we're going to have a problem. 266 00:14:28,009 --> 00:14:31,316 Then there were some who were government and so on. 267 00:14:31,316 --> 00:14:32,625 I think it was a mixed bag. 268 00:14:32,625 --> 00:14:35,096 I think in the same way that the ccTLD Managers, 269 00:14:35,096 --> 00:14:38,400 some were for ICANN, some didn't care, some were against. 270 00:14:38,490 --> 00:14:40,157 The same thing applies to governments and it still does. 271 00:14:40,157 --> 00:14:42,862 I mean there are governments today 272 00:14:42,862 --> 00:14:45,405 that don't feel comfortable with the ICANN model 273 00:14:45,405 --> 00:14:47,032 and there are governments that do. 274 00:14:47,032 --> 00:14:49,826 In this project, we're obviously looking back in time. 275 00:14:49,826 --> 00:14:51,533 But looking ahead for a moment, 276 00:14:51,533 --> 00:14:53,533 is it now just an automatic given 277 00:14:53,533 --> 00:14:56,568 that CCs are within the ICANN sphere, 278 00:14:56,568 --> 00:14:59,950 a part of the ICANN process, 279 00:14:59,950 --> 00:15:01,900 a part of the ICANN community? 280 00:15:01,900 --> 00:15:04,421 Well again, I suppose it depends on what you mean. 281 00:15:04,421 --> 00:15:07,510 If you mean is it given, that they will be involved. 282 00:15:07,510 --> 00:15:09,150 Speak in terms of involvement. 283 00:15:09,150 --> 00:15:10,804 In terms of involvement, no, it's not a given. 284 00:15:10,804 --> 00:15:12,873 I mean a lot of ccTLDs do come, 285 00:15:12,873 --> 00:15:15,850 quite a significant number do come. 286 00:15:15,850 --> 00:15:20,856 In respect of the ccNSO, we've probably reached the 80/20 point. 287 00:15:20,856 --> 00:15:25,826 Getting the last bunch of members is much harder than... 288 00:15:25,826 --> 00:15:27,469 - Sure. - It's changing. 289 00:15:27,469 --> 00:15:32,620 Because of the break now of the line between ccTLDs and gTLDs, 290 00:15:32,620 --> 00:15:36,536 because you've got ccTLD Managers running gTLDs now, 291 00:15:36,536 --> 00:15:38,310 - because of the new gTLDs, - Mhm. 292 00:15:38,310 --> 00:15:43,657 and you've got geographic names 293 00:15:43,657 --> 00:15:45,620 appearing in the gTLD world, 294 00:15:45,620 --> 00:15:47,668 I think that's making 295 00:15:47,668 --> 00:15:51,875 or bringing the two sides, if I can use that word, together. 296 00:15:51,875 --> 00:15:55,647 Stress is what holds buildings up. 297 00:15:55,647 --> 00:15:59,284 And the stress between the gNSO and ccNSO 298 00:15:59,284 --> 00:16:03,101 is actually quite important because it binds ICANN together. 299 00:16:03,101 --> 00:16:08,200 And the more the ccTLD community needs to involve itself 300 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:10,200 in what's going on in the gNSO world, 301 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:12,325 whether it's from a protectionist point of view, 302 00:16:12,325 --> 00:16:13,976 or from an I'm involved point of view, 303 00:16:13,976 --> 00:16:16,529 the more we actually come together as a community. 304 00:16:16,529 --> 00:16:18,892 Now, it doesn't mean we necessarily agree with each other. 305 00:16:18,892 --> 00:16:23,142 But at least we're in the same room discussing it. 306 00:16:23,142 --> 00:16:26,000 So in the future, I think — right now, I think it changing. 307 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:28,340 There's much more cross-community stuff than there used to be. 308 00:16:28,340 --> 00:16:30,258 The silos are kind of breaking down. 309 00:16:30,258 --> 00:16:32,217 You've made a point of mentioning, 310 00:16:32,217 --> 00:16:33,217 and I think it's an interesting point, 311 00:16:33,217 --> 00:16:36,603 that cc involvement was a form of validation of the ICANN model. 312 00:16:36,603 --> 00:16:39,057 It contributes to the legitimacy, absolutely, yes. 313 00:16:39,057 --> 00:16:43,109 Did ICANN see it that way in the early days? 314 00:16:43,109 --> 00:16:45,650 I think some people certainly did. 315 00:16:45,650 --> 00:16:49,400 I think some people just felt that they had to get the ccTLDs involved 316 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:52,415 because there were 246 of them and they'd all pay money. 317 00:16:52,415 --> 00:16:54,305 - So that was good. - Yes. 318 00:16:54,305 --> 00:16:56,170 Because there wasn't a lot of money. 319 00:16:56,170 --> 00:17:01,041 But I think that others clearly felt 320 00:17:01,041 --> 00:17:04,088 that the ccTLDs were critical, from the point of view of 321 00:17:04,088 --> 00:17:07,971 building the base of defensibility of the ICANN model. 322 00:17:07,971 --> 00:17:12,209 Otherwise, you can't really say you're doing what you do 323 00:17:12,209 --> 00:17:14,882 because you haven't got a significant portion 324 00:17:14,882 --> 00:17:19,974 of the DNS on your side. 325 00:17:19,974 --> 00:17:22,654 Chris, was there ever a concern, 326 00:17:22,654 --> 00:17:24,654 either in the early days or right up to present, 327 00:17:24,654 --> 00:17:28,225 that on the part of the cc operators and the cc community, 328 00:17:28,225 --> 00:17:31,684 that they were taking second seat 329 00:17:31,684 --> 00:17:35,128 to the generic, the g community. 330 00:17:35,128 --> 00:17:37,691 No, they wanted to take second seat because they didn't want 331 00:17:37,691 --> 00:17:43,572 ICANN to be influential in the cc world. 332 00:17:43,572 --> 00:17:46,584 They wanted ICANN to concentrate on the gTLD world. 333 00:17:46,584 --> 00:17:49,516 - So basically the cc… - In the early days. 334 00:17:49,516 --> 00:17:52,745 Yes. The CC's were basically quite happy to have their own room. 335 00:17:52,745 --> 00:17:54,850 I mean there was talk at the time of we'll pay, 336 00:17:54,850 --> 00:17:57,873 we'll pay for our own room, we shouldn't take money from ICANN. 337 00:17:57,873 --> 00:17:59,873 If you go back and look at the by-laws, 338 00:17:59,873 --> 00:18:03,078 when we set up the ccNSO it was critical. 339 00:18:03,078 --> 00:18:05,170 And this took a long time to get agreed. 340 00:18:05,170 --> 00:18:08,455 It was critical that we — the CC's actually have the right 341 00:18:08,455 --> 00:18:11,572 to decide who their staff support is. 342 00:18:11,572 --> 00:18:14,182 And if the CC's are not happy with that, 343 00:18:14,182 --> 00:18:16,735 they have the right to say thanks, 344 00:18:16,735 --> 00:18:19,825 well create our own, and we'll pay for it. 345 00:18:19,825 --> 00:18:21,990 And that was a really important point because 346 00:18:21,990 --> 00:18:24,102 people said well we can't... if we're having to... 347 00:18:24,102 --> 00:18:26,755 if ICANN's staff are going to be providing us 348 00:18:26,755 --> 00:18:29,585 with all of this stuff, then clearly we'll get captured. 349 00:18:29,585 --> 00:18:31,285 I mean it hasn't happened, of course, 350 00:18:31,285 --> 00:18:34,068 but then we've got Bart Boswinkel, so. 351 00:18:34,350 --> 00:18:35,899 You expressed a great deal of pride, 352 00:18:35,899 --> 00:18:37,307 in fact, you wore the pride on your face 353 00:18:37,307 --> 00:18:38,821 when you were talking about IDNs. 354 00:18:38,821 --> 00:18:42,520 No one's been more involved in the development of CCs 355 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:45,688 and bringing them within the ICANN world, 356 00:18:45,688 --> 00:18:47,494 than probably you have. 357 00:18:47,494 --> 00:18:50,060 What other points of pride do you have? 358 00:18:50,060 --> 00:18:52,060 Well, I am going to answer that but before I do I think 359 00:18:52,060 --> 00:18:55,892 I must acknowledge the work that Lesley Cowley did 360 00:18:55,892 --> 00:18:58,420 when she took over from me as Chair of the ccNSO, 361 00:18:58,420 --> 00:19:03,300 because she worked really hard to increase the membership. 362 00:19:03,300 --> 00:19:06,262 So that really does need to be acknowledged. 363 00:19:09,944 --> 00:19:13,176 I think probably setting it up. 364 00:19:13,176 --> 00:19:15,736 I mean there are lessons to be learned 365 00:19:15,736 --> 00:19:18,300 in all sorts of ways, in what everybody does. 366 00:19:18,300 --> 00:19:20,600 I think, for example, one of the things that the CC's did was 367 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,777 when we set ourselves up we got our four members in each region, 368 00:19:24,777 --> 00:19:28,625 and the first thing we did was a review of ourselves. 369 00:19:28,625 --> 00:19:32,262 Because we thought, well, we're now here, we exist. 370 00:19:32,262 --> 00:19:35,385 Now we need to find out what we need to change 371 00:19:35,385 --> 00:19:39,148 in order for other people who haven't joined, to join. 372 00:19:39,148 --> 00:19:44,187 And that first step actually broke down a lot of barriers, 373 00:19:44,187 --> 00:19:46,385 because people went oh, okay, 374 00:19:46,385 --> 00:19:51,725 so you're not just going to close the doors and carry on. 375 00:19:51,725 --> 00:19:54,633 But I think, in general terms, Brad, 376 00:19:54,633 --> 00:19:59,000 I think this model is just so interesting. 377 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:02,000 It's extremely hard work, but it's so interesting, 378 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:06,500 and so important as a model that, for me, 379 00:20:06,500 --> 00:20:09,368 having CC's actually agree to be part of it 380 00:20:09,368 --> 00:20:11,618 is the most important thing. 381 00:20:11,618 --> 00:20:14,203 I used to say to this to people, 382 00:20:14,203 --> 00:20:18,023 how can you, at home, claim your right, 383 00:20:18,023 --> 00:20:22,013 to run an independent ccTLD 384 00:20:22,013 --> 00:20:23,493 where you're not run by your government, 385 00:20:23,493 --> 00:20:25,253 you've got a membership based organization and 386 00:20:25,253 --> 00:20:26,903 you run it and you say you do outreach. 387 00:20:26,903 --> 00:20:29,973 How can do that at home, and claim the right to do that, 388 00:20:29,973 --> 00:20:33,450 and then not support the equivalent model internationally? 389 00:20:33,493 --> 00:20:34,493 It just doesn't make sense. 390 00:20:34,493 --> 00:20:36,983 Otherwise, it's your legitimacy that's on the line. 391 00:20:36,983 --> 00:20:38,538 What came back at you when you argued that? 392 00:20:38,538 --> 00:20:39,569 Well, it's nothing to do with that. 393 00:20:39,569 --> 00:20:40,987 It's not you, it's them. 394 00:20:40,987 --> 00:20:42,040 It's all of that stuff. 395 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:44,379 All the stuff about it's not that, it's about will I... 396 00:20:44,379 --> 00:20:49,831 Is joining the ccSNO putting me in a contractual with ICANN? 397 00:20:49,831 --> 00:20:51,831 No. Well, prove it to me. 398 00:20:51,831 --> 00:20:55,331 We had to have a lot of that kind of I make this claim, 399 00:20:55,331 --> 00:20:57,705 and until you prove to me that I'm wrong, 400 00:20:57,705 --> 00:20:59,000 I'm not going to do anything. 401 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,000 So the response of, well no, actually you have to 402 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:02,509 show me that your claim is right. 403 00:21:02,509 --> 00:21:03,509 They wanted a proof of the negative. 404 00:21:03,509 --> 00:21:05,198 It doesn't work — a proof of a negative, exactly. 405 00:21:05,198 --> 00:21:07,198 But I think that was a long time ago, 406 00:21:07,198 --> 00:21:10,150 and we have a very vibrant ccTLD community, 407 00:21:10,150 --> 00:21:13,582 and a lot of people who were very anti 408 00:21:13,582 --> 00:21:16,852 have now turned around and are part of it. 409 00:21:16,852 --> 00:21:18,570 And that's definitely something 410 00:21:18,570 --> 00:21:20,635 that I think we should all be proud of. 411 00:21:20,635 --> 00:21:22,865 I think ICANN should be proud 412 00:21:22,865 --> 00:21:25,368 of it's relationship with the ccTLD community. 413 00:21:25,368 --> 00:21:30,498 I think the ccTLDs generally are pretty proud of what they do. 414 00:21:30,498 --> 00:21:31,871 And that's great. 415 00:21:31,871 --> 00:21:34,080 That's a fascinating history. Chris Disspain, thank you very much. 416 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:34,943 Thank you.