Internet Overseer ICANN Needs to Tighten Director-Conflict Rules, CEO Says

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization that manages the Internet’s address system should strengthen conflict-of-interest rules for its board of directors, the group’s chief executive officer said.

“It is time to further tighten up the rules that have allowed perceived conflicts to exist within our board,” said ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom at a meeting of the group in Costa Rica. “ICANN must place commercial and financial interests in their appropriate context,” said Beckstrom, who plans to step down in July, according to a transcript of the speech. “How can it do this if all top leadership is from the very domain name industry it is supposed to coordinate independently?” ICANN asked for public comment on revisions to its conflict-of-interest policy, code of conduct and other standards. The revised conflict-of-interest policy “strengthens procedures for disclosing, processing and evaluating actual and potential conflicts of interest,” according to a memo posted by the organization. “This is necessary not just to be responsive to the growing chorus of criticism about ICANN ‘s ethics environment but to ensure that absolute dedication to the public good supersedes all other priorities,” Beckstrom said in his speech. A central challenge for ICANN ‘s next CEO will be “to continue the drive to clarify and cast sunlight on the sometimes murky relationships that exist among board, staff, community and industry,” Beckstrom said.