ICC highlights business contribution to Internet governance and development

ICANN public meetings bring together the multistakeholder Internet governance community to discuss issues relevant to the ICANN role and matters of more broad Internet governance policy. Among those actively participating at ICANN 46 were representatives of the ICC Commission on the Digital Economy, as well as members of its Business Action to Support the Information Society (BASIS) initiative, and ICC China. The ICC representatives highlighted the extensive private sector experience with investment, competition and innovation that business brings to discussions on Internet governance policy. ICC consistently demonstrates that the goals of Internet deployment, inclusion and adoption are best achieved through policies that promote private sector investment and competition. ICC Senior Policy Manager Ayesha Hassan and ICC China representatives Mi Na, Director of the ICC Affairs Division, and Cao Ying, Project Manager, participated in the business breakfast session on Thursday 11 April.

Addressing executives from Chinese and Asia-Pacific based companies as well as global business representatives, Ms Hassan described the practical benefits for companies to take an active part in the Internet Governance Forum.

The Internet Governance Forum provides a unique opportunity for business and all other stakeholders to share priorities and experience on key Internet governance issues which leads to more informed policy decisions.

These points were also highlighted at the Internet Governance Global Agenda session on Monday 8 April, by Eric H. Loeb, Chair of the ICC Task Force on the Internet and Telecommunications.

“The business community must participate at ICANN and other Internet governance forums and we must show the merits of the policies that will promote on-going Internet deployment, inclusion and adoption. With national committees in 95 countries, ICC strongly supports the Internet’s role to foster economic growth and societal benefits in both developing and developed world economies. The business community has empirical data that market liberalization and private sector competition, along with the free flow of information and data over the Internet, has been a proven formula for success. This market-based policy for the Internet, and not one of restrictive regulation, has helped grow the ICT sectors and the ICT-enabled economies, of both developing and developed world economies,” Mr Loeb said.

In addition to its speakers and representatives in attendance who participated actively in working meetings, ICC contributed to the discussions by distributing the results of a survey of ICC member companies regarding the impact of ICANN’s new Generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) programme on ICANN’s operational structures.

Survey results reveal that the new gTLD programme will require changes to ICANN’s structures and functioning, and a range of views on specifics were expressed where enhancements will be needed. The results showed:

• ICANN participants are more likely to engage in numerous stakeholder groups/constituencies as they will have dual or several interests; 
• Dual interests and participation in stakeholder groups/constituencies may require representation by separate participants from any one organization; and 
• There may be impact on the development, implementation and adherence to consensus policies. 

Download the survey results

For more information on ICC’s activities on this subject visit the ICC Commission in the Digital Economy and the ICC initiative Business Action to Support the Internet Society (BASIS)