Gonzalo Camarillo <Gonzalo.Camarillo@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> the board of trustees of the Internet Society (ISOC) plans to revise
> ISOC's mission statement. We would like to get your comments on the
> proposal we include below. This email discusses the reasons for the
> proposed change, the process we have followed so far to put together
> the current proposal, and the next steps in the process.
Thanks.
> ISOC's current vision and mission statements were developed around 2005
> and are available at ISOC's web page:
> https://www.internetsociety.org/mission/
re-reading it, I find that I agree with all the ideas presented in 2005, but
I think it would be difficult for a person not intimately familiar with ISOC
to connect the points given to the specific activities.
> Externally, the current Internet environment is different from what it
> was when the current statements were developed: regional needs are
> different, communication patterns are different, and the
> standardization landscape is different. Internet users and, thus, also
> ISOC's chapters and members are more international and many of them
> come from developing countries.
Could you characterize what you think the changes in communications patterns are?
> Internally, ISOC's revenue sources have increased significantly from
> 2005 until present. This means that ISOC's potential to realize its
ISOC has more money, but are it's revenue sources significantly more diverse?
Or to put it another way, can ISOC do things now that might have pissed off
some of it's donors before?
> Our goal is to bring more focus into the organization. The idea is to
> avoid spreading ourselves too thin and, instead, increase ISOC's focus
> on activities that make a difference.
Do less (or the same) things better, rather than do more things.
> In order to make those key decisions, staff, the board, and the
> community need to be on the same page regarding ISOC's vision and
> mission, and their underlying meaning. Given that many members of
> staff, the board, and the community were not around when the current
> statements were developed back in 2005, revising them with their
> involvement was considered to be a necessary exercise so that everybody
> feels them as their own. Getting a common sense of ownership is one of
> our main goals.
As the new mission statement is in point form, like the previous one,
I want to suggest that each of the mission statement points be given a
name/handle (to the point of having an HTML anchor on the web page..) so that
it can easily be referred to in other documents.
While secure is mentioned, that can mean "secure for children" or "secure
against terrorists". For some governments that translates into "no privacy",
(no TLS!) which is exactly the opposite of what most of us think of when we
say "secure".
So, I'd like to see the privacy tussle mentioned more prominently if we are going to say "secure"
Somewhere, perhaps not in the normative part of the mission statement, I'd
like to see things like:
> - Facilitates open development of standards, protocols,
> administration, and the technical infrastructure of the Internet.
... (such as being the home for ietf.org, XXX, YYY)
Maybe a prominent link in the mission statement page that says something
like, "How ISOC implements it's mission statement"
> Vision:
> -------
> The Internet is for everyone.
> Mission:
> --------
> The Internet Society champions the development of the Internet as a
> global technical infrastructure, a resource to enrich people's lives,
> and a force for good in society.
> We work with the worldwide Internet community for an Internet that is
> open, globally-connected, and secure.
> Together, we focus on:
> - Building and supporting the communities that make the Internet
> work;
> - Advancing the development of Internet infrastructure, technologies,
> and open standards; and
> - Advocating for sound Internet policy around the world.
> Highlights of Activities:
> -------------------------
> To help achieve our mission, the Internet Society:
> - Facilitates open development of standards, protocols,
> administration, and the technical infrastructure of the Internet.
> - Supports education in developing countries specifically, and
> wherever the need exists.
> - Promotes professional development and builds community to foster
> participation and leadership in areas important to the evolution of the
> Internet.
> - Provides reliable information about the Internet.
> - Provides forums for discussion of issues that affect Internet
> evolution, development and use in technical, commercial, societal, and
> other contexts.
> - Fosters an environment for international cooperation, community,
> and a culture that enables self-governance to work.
> - Serves as a focal point for cooperative efforts to promote the
> Internet as a positive tool to benefit all people throughout the world.
> - Provides management and coordination for on-strategy initiatives
> and outreach efforts in humanitarian, educational, societal, and other
> contexts.
> --- End of Proposal ---
--
Michael Richardson <mcr+IETF@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, Sandelman Software Works
-= IPv6 IoT consulting =-
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