News Review: ICANN Accountability WS2 & Consensus 'ICANN Style'

Domain Mondo's weekly review of internet domain news:

First Feature •  ICANN accountability workstream 2 (WS2) Dashboard--The ICANN Cross Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (CCWG-Accountability) Work Stream 2 (WS2) is "focused on addressing accountability topics for which a timeline for developing solutions and full implementation may extend beyond the IANA Stewardship Transition."--here's the latest WS2 subgroups progress update from ICANN:

CCWG-Accountability Workstream 2 Dashboard (pdf) (Dec 2016, updated 11 Jan 2017) embed:

Second Feature •  Consensus 'ICANN Style'

Decision-Making Methodologies:In developing its Proposal(s), work plan and any other reports, the CCWG-Accountability shall seek to act by consensus. Consensus calls should always make best efforts to involve all members (the CCWG-Accountability or sub-working group). The Chair(s) shall be responsible for designating each position as having one of the following designations:
a) Full Consensus - a position where no minority disagrees; identified by an absence of objection; b) Consensus – a position where a small minority disagrees, but most agree. In the absence of Full Consensus, the Chair(s) should allow for the submission of minority viewpoint(s) and these, along with the consensus view, shall be included in the report.
In a rare case, the chair(s) may decide that the use of a poll is reasonable to assess the level of support for a recommendation. However, care should be taken in using polls that they do not become votes, as there are often disagreements about the meanings of the poll questions or of the poll results.
Any member who disagrees with the consensus-level designation made by the Chair(s), or believes that his/her contributions are being systematically ignored or discounted should first discuss the circumstances with the relevant sub-group chair or the CCWG-Accountability co-chairs. In the event that the matter cannot be resolved satisfactorily, the group member should request an opportunity to discuss the situation with the Chairs of the chartering organizations or their designated representatives.

How does this play out in reality? Here's a snapshot: Jurisdiction Meeting #16 (10 January @ 13:00 UTC) chat transcript--"threaten me that we have consensus or nothing, and I will join the objectors"--

Note that the Jurisdiction subgroup is "behind schedule, but recovery is still possible" according to the subgroup progress update graphic at the top of this post.

Other Internet Domain News:

•  Neustar acquisition: Friday (Jan. 13) was the preliminary proxy and FCC filing deadline for the Golden Gate acquisition of Neustar (neustar.biz | NYSE:NSR), a domain registry services and technology company. The go-shop also expired Friday (no alternative bids anticipated according to SeekingAlpha.com).

•  Rebrand--New Domain Name--Yahoo! Inc. will be changing its name to Altaba Inc., a portmanteau of "alternative" and "Alibaba" and has registered the domain name altaba.com:

The name change is required because Yahoo's operating businesses are being sold to Verizon which will retain the Yahoo! brand. See also: Marissa Mayer to Leave Yahoo Board  | WSJ.com.

•  Domain Register Pty Ltd accused of conning millions of dollars from unsuspecting businesses ... | HeraldSun.com

•  Nigeria’s .NG suffers patronage, as firms, others adopt foreign domain names | guardian.ng

•  Where is the most affordable internet in Africa? | Quartz | qz.com: If you want affordable internet in Africa, move to a country on the coast.

•  Obama Opens NSA’s Vast Trove of Warrantless Data to Entire Intelligence Community, Just in Time for Trump | TheIntercept.com

•  The 13th Annual State of the Net Conference | StateoftheNet.org will be held on January 23rd at the Newseum’s Knight Conference Center, Washington, D.C. More info here. On Twitter: @SOTN #sotn

• Real Innovation and Domain Names--Startups overwhelmingly choose .COM domains--Which Extension Was Most Popular With Startups in 2016? | NamePros.com.

•  ICANN FY17 Q2 Stakeholder Call, 15 February 2017 at 15:00 UTC. "The call will focus on how ICANN has implemented community policy for the quarter ending 31 December 2016. The call will also provide an Africa and Middle East update, as part of a new format aimed at spotlighting regional activities." Click here to register for the call and to receive joining instructions. If you are unable to access the form, email ICANN [ icann.communications @ icann.org ] to register with your full name and an email address.

•  ICANN Policy staff will be holding its annual Policy Workshop in Los Angeles from Monday 23 January 2017 to Friday 27 January 2017. Staff will be replying to email requests, but there will be delays.--GNSO SO/AC Support

•  Most popular posts (# of pageviews Sun-Sat) this past week on DomainMondo.com:

1. US Intel Community's 'Nazi-like' Tactics, Media Hysteria & Trump (video)
2. News Review: New gTLD .AFRICA Plaintiff Files for New TRO vs ICANN
3. TechReview | 2017 Will Be The Year Of Amazon $AMZN (video)
4. LIVE Video Stream: Donald Trump's First Press Conference Since Election
5. MacroView: UK Economy Defies Economists' Dire Brexit Predictions (video)
6. Alibaba's Jack Ma Meets With Trump, Discuss 1 Million New US Jobs

-- John Poole, Editor, Domain Mondo 

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US Intel Community's 'Nazi-like' Tactics, Media Hysteria & Trump (video)

US intelligence community's 'Nazi-like' tactics:

In the video above published January 12, 2017, MSNBC.com's Morning Joe program hosts Joe and Mika, and guests, discuss the loss of trust and credibility in the U.S. intelligence community, and the apparent 'corrosive' relationship with President-elect Trump due to the politicization of the CIA and other intelligence agencies, and inappropriate (if not illegal) leaks, all of which have been used by media to whip up hysteria over Russia and Vladimir Putin, including stories published by Buzzfeed and CNN about a "dossier" which was compiled, and paid for, apparently, by supporter(s) of Hillary Clinton and anti-Trump Republican(s). Unfortunately, for some unexplained reason, the said "dossier" or "summary" was also reportedly appended to a briefing given to Obama and Trump and select members of Congress by the U.S. intelligence community even though none of its allegations have been proven, and in fact, some have already been proven false.

Below is the statement issued by James R. Clapper, Director of National Intelligence (highlighting and emphasis added):

The Deep State goes to war with President-elect, using unverified claims, as Democrats cheer https://t.co/NPWXMS5gPx by @ggreenwald #Trump

— Under My Palm (@UnderMyPalm) January 14, 2017

'Garbage Document' @realBobWoodward says US Intel Should Apologize re: #TrumpDossier https://t.co/EwS8xP3hWU @CIA #CIA @ODNIgov @ODNI_NIC

— Under My Palm (@UnderMyPalm) January 16, 2017

The Fake News "Dossier" backstory according to reports in the New York Times and Mike Allen in Axios.com:

The former MI6 British spy behind the Trump smear, Christopher Steele, was hired by FusionGPS.com, a Washington firm headed by former WSJ reporter Glenn Simpson, according to a NYTimes.com front-page story. The story began in September 2015, when an unknown wealthy Republican donor who strongly opposed Mr. Trump put up the money to hire Fusion GPS to compile a "dossier" about Trump's past scandals and weaknesses. For months, Fusion GPS purportedly gathered documents and put together files from Mr. Trump's past in business and entertainment. After Mr. Trump emerged as the presumptive nominee in the spring, the Republican interest in financing the effort ended, but Democratic supporters of Hillary Clinton were very interested, and Fusion GPS kept doing the same deep dives on behalf of their new clients. Also noted, Neil King, a journalist at the WSJ and husband of Shailagh Murray, a senior Obama adviser, just took a job with Fusion GPS.

UPDATE 16 Jan 2017: Christopher Steele, Ex-Spy Who Compiled Trump Dossier, Goes to Ground | NYTimes.com: "An investigator for a business research firm in London similar to Orbis [domain: orbisbi.com], who knows the work of the company but who has met Mr. Steele only briefly, said he was not impressed by the dossier. “I have a lot of experience in this world,” he said. “If I were the client, I would throw it back and say, ‘Where’s the evidence guys? I can’t use this.’ "

The effects of the U.S. intel community's tactics, leaks, smears and/or mishandling of the so-called "dossier" have now had a negative impact on markets, with major U.S. indexes closing down on Thursday, January 12, 2017:

DJIA  12 Jan 2017 (source: google.com)

This story appears to have "legs" and may have continuing negative effects on markets. Other news media have now published in-depth stories about the "dossier" including the Wall Street Journal (wsj.com) and Bloomberg (bloomberg.com). Below are a mix of videos from other news sources:

Trump dossier: US Intelligence distances itself from document:

Video above published on Jan 12, 2017, by Sky News (news.sky.com): The US Director of National Intelligence says he does not "believe" that a "dossier" containing claims about Donald Trump was leaked from within the intelligence community.

Fmr. Rep. Hoekstra: Intel community has become very politicized

Video above published Jan 13, 2017: Former Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) on the Russian hack briefing and the U.S. intelligence community.

Kellyanne Conway: It's an internet report, not an intel report:

Video above published on Jan 12, 2017 by Fox Business News (foxbusiness.com): Kellyanne Conway, Senior Advisor to President-elect Donald Trump, on the controversy over the leaked report on President-elect Donald Trump published on BuzzFeed.

The distrust between Trump and U.S. Intel Community

Video above published Jan 12, 2017, by FoxBusiness.com: Former CIA Officer Buck Sexton on the growing divide between President-elect Donald Trump and the intelligence community.

Due to the toxic atmosphere in the U.S., particularly since the November 8th election, engendered by the Washington D.C. establishment, including the U.S. intelligence community led by Obama's Democratic political appointees, as well as the post-election hysteria whipped up by the liberal-biased mainstream media, one can not rule out the possibility that Trump's life may be in danger. Any attempt to take the life of the President-elect could have negative effects on markets. Caveat Emptor.

See also:

• Trump Calls Out @BuzzFeed and @CNN for #FakeNews (video) | DomainMondo.com
• LIVE Video Stream: Donald Trump's First Press Conference Since Election | DomainMondo.com
• Newly leaked dossier on Trump circulated in DC for months | ap.org
• Justice Department Watchdog Launches Internal Probe Into Handling of Clinton Email Case | WSJ.com
• Extraordinary details of how ordinary 'citizen' John McCain actually dispatched a trusted aide across the Atlantic to get dirty dossier from ex-spy  | dailymail.co.uk

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