GigaNet is the "global internet governance academic network," a new network of researchers in the field of internet governance. GigaNet plans to hold annual conferences preceding the forum and engage in research collaboration and discussion around IG issues. The first GigaNet pre-conference vastly exceeded the expectations of its organizers, filling the room to capacity (80+ people) and provoking many compliments about the value and quality of the presentations and discussions.   more »

Responding to public comments showing widespread reluctance to set ICANN free of the US Government before it improves its accountability and transparency, ICANN issued a call today for public comment on developing transparent and accountable management operating principles (MOPs) for possible adoption in to its Strategic Plan. The organization hopes to start setting "new standards for interactions within the ICANN community and between members of the community and staff" by soliciting responses to a set of questions defining accountability and transparency in the ICANN context. IGP welcomes the effort and hope it comes to fruition. But is it anything more than PR? A short, two-week comment period and ICANN management's apparent belief that they are going to settle on the right principles by early December (!) can only fuel doubts about the sincerity and depth of this effort.   more »

Responding to the recently released JPA, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media Viviane Redding welcomed the "US government's declared intention to grant more autonomy to ICANN and to end its governmental oversight." However, the IGP notes that the new JPA does not introduce any guarantee that the relationship will end in 2009. Surprisingly, the EC response also completely overlooks the highly prescriptive approach to Whois policy that was put into the new agreement, which if followed, potentially leaves Whois policy contradicting established privacy policies of many European countries.