The ICANN 80 Policy Forum will take place between Monday 10 and Thursday 13 June 2024 at the Kigali Convention Centre. The Policy Forum will be held in conjunction with the 5th High Level Government meeting on Sunday 9 June. This is the first High Level Government meeting since 2018 in Barcelona. The Policy Forum does not have the usual ICANN Board meetings with community groups, although the Board is scheduled to meet with the GAC during the event.
Some of the key discussion areas are highlighted below.
DNS Abuse
The amendments to enhance the DNS Abuse obligations on gTLD registries and registrars have now come into effect. The ICANN community is now looking at how to assess their impact, how the landscape has changed for reporters and what next steps look like.
Domain Name Registration Data
While domain name registration data no longer dominates the agenda of ICANN meetings, it still remains an important and topical issue. The current work on domain name registration data is split into three main threads – the Registration Data Request System (RDRS), Registration Data Policy implementation, and Privacy and Proxy Services Accreditation (PPSAI).
GAC Discussions on WHOIS
This session will brief the GAC on latest developments in connection to the implementation of the Registration Data Policy, including Urgent Requests for registration data in emergencies, the RDRS, and the possible resumption of implementation of the privacy/proxy services accreditation policy.
DotBrands and Future Rounds of New gTLDs
Preparation for the next round of new gTLD applications continues to move along, with ICANN still committed to launching the next round in Q2 2026. The main activity during ICANN 80 will be directed towards progressing the implementation of policy recommendations necessary for the next round to open.
High Level Government Meeting
The High-Level Government Meeting (HLGM) will take place on Sunday 9 June. Typically, government engagement in ICANN is performed by civil servants, but the HLGM is an opportunity for government ministers and senior officials from around the world to meet, learn more about what the GAC do, and discuss issues of importance in the digital sphere. We understand that the sessions will be open for observers to listen-in. There will be four sessions held throughout the day: ICANN and the Multistakeholder Model, Cooperation and Governance, Towards a Better Digital Inclusion, and Support the Development of Meaningful Connectivity in Africa.
The Com Laude team will be at the meeting and will provide a full report on their return.