ICANN opens consultation on bylaw changes affecting oversight of key internet functions
ICANN has launched public consultations on proposed bylaw amendments that would adjust how its technical functions are reviewed and temporarily modify certain accountability obligations, inviting input from the global internet community.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has opened two public consultations on proposed changes to its internal rules, known as bylaws. These changes relate to how ICANN’s technical operations are overseen and how certain mandatory reviews of its work are conducted.
The first set of proposed changes concerns the Fundamental Bylaws, which are among ICANN’s most important governing rules and can only be modified through a stricter approval process. These amendments relate to the IANA Naming Function Review and the Customer Standing Committee (CSC), both of which are mechanisms created to monitor how well ICANN performs its technical responsibilities. The Naming Function Review evaluates ICANN’s performance in managing domain name systems, while the CSC provides ongoing operational oversight and ensures that services meet agreed performance standards. The proposed changes would adjust how these oversight mechanisms operate and how they are defined within ICANN’s governing framework.
The second proposal involves a Standard Bylaws amendment, which would temporarily modify ICANN’s obligations to initiate certain accountability reviews, known as Specific Reviews. These reviews examine whether ICANN is meeting its commitments in areas such as security, competition, and transparency. According to ICANN, the amendment would introduce a temporary provision, referred to as a Transition Article, to address concerns that some reviews have not been initiated within the timelines required under the current bylaws. This measure is intended to clarify the organisation’s obligations while discussions continue on how to manage and schedule these reviews effectively.
Public comment periods allow individuals, governments, civil society organisations, businesses, and technical experts to submit feedback on proposed changes before they are finalised. This process is part of ICANN’s multistakeholder governance model, in which decisions are informed by input from a wide range of participants rather than a single authority.
