Representation in Cyberspace Study

Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School

[main]   [study]   [workshop]

Membership Models

  Individual Open Organization
Membership Classes Individual (primary)
Corporate (non-voting)
Association
No classes; all members are equal Individual
Corporate
NGO (includes associations)
[possible subcategories of corporate and NGO membership]

Fees Individual: de minimis
Corporations: significant
Associations: lower
None Individual: $50 (possible adjustment for GNP)
Corporations: $5000 plus surcharge scaled to earnings
NGOs: $500.
Eligibility Exercising rights might require network access. Internet address Internet access
Member Identification Single registration per unique physical identity.
Registrants must provide name and one other characteristic, such as phone number, address, or email.
Internet address Registration requires physical address for individuals, proof of incorporation for corporations.
Election of at-large directors Individual members can vote for at large board members; others may not. All members can vote. Allocate seats among the classes of membership. For every election, each class gets one seat.
Other privileges of membership Individual members can vote to ratify changes to articles.
Members have the opportunity to propose policy; may be included in a linked member directory.
All members receive regular updates on ICANN activities on website or through email (member’s choice).
Corporate members are recognized/promoted on the ICANN website.
All members can vote to ratify changes to articles. Members can propose policy. 2/3 of the members of each class must ratify changes to articles.
Duties of membership Maintain current contact information. Pay fees on time. None Maintain current contact information. Pay fees on time.
Other Regular census of membership conducted by board to aid understanding and openness about composition of ICANN and its membership. Between an election and certification of its results, possible audit for fraud.   Regular census of membership conducted by board to aid understanding and openness about composition of ICANN and its membership. Between an election and certification of its results, possible audit for fraud.
Voting procedure Any member can propose nominee for at-large board. Nominees must be members, willing to develop a platform, serve, travel. Number of nominees will be limited. Nominees may be restricted by geographic criteria of bylaws. Membership subcommittee of board will apply membership criteria.    

Last modified 1/18/99 by Wendy Seltzer.
Berkman Center for Internet & Society