Internet Industry Objects to IAHC Proceedings.

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 4, 1997--

-- Association for Interactive Media announces a new representative

coalition to examine management and operations of the Internet --

With significant implications for the future of the Internet and attempts to control it, a coalition of key Internet companies, organizations, and consumer groups has called for a halt to the International Ad Hoc Committee (IAHC) proposal to govern the Internet. As a result, the newly-formed Open Internet Congress (OIC) has called for an "Internet Constitutional Convention" to examine Internet administration and governance. An organizational meeting will be held July 9, 1997, in Washington, D.C. and will be coordinated under the auspices of the Association for Interactive Media (AIM) with participation by the supporters of the OIC.

Serious concerns have arisen that groups that are not representative of, or responsive to, the concerns of the Internet community as a whole are attempting to take over control of the Internet. The purpose of the Open Internet Congress is to create an open forum to discuss how and by whom decisions about the Internet should be made, and to guarantee that all stakeholders in the future of the Internet have a voice in the process.

A self-appointed group known as the IAHC, comprised of the Internet Society, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, and a few similar groups have been holding exclusive meetings in Geneva to discuss vital issues such as domain name registration. Little effort has been made to inform consumers, governments or the Internet industry about the proceedings, or their potential impact on the Internet.

Most people who make their living from the Internet have only heard about decisions made by IAHC after critical issues have been decided. By holding invitation-only meetings in Geneva, often with less than a 30 day notice, rightful stakeholders have been disenfranchised from the decision-making process.

AIM and its members have the greatest respect for the contributions that some of IAHC's supporters have made in the creation and growth of the Internet, and they readily acknowledge that it would not exist if it were not for the Internet Society, the World Wide Web Consortium, and the other participants.

"The reality, however, is that the composition of the Internet community has changed with its explosive growth. The original leadership has now become the tenured 'Ivory Tower of the Internet.' They have lost touch with the pulse of mainstream Internet users - probably because they have failed to include everyone in the process," said Andrew Sernovitz, AIM's president.

IAHC recently announced that it had dissolved itself and created a new successor organization, the Policy Oversight Committee. The members of this committee were chosen by IAHC at a private IAHC meeting. An attorney from Chicago heads the organization.

"The final straw was when IAHC announced that they had created their own replacement, elected its board and chosen its President - all in a secret meeting with no public input. There was no possibility that we, or our members, could have possibly participated," said Sernovitz. "Since its inception, the 'Net has been the ultimate participatory democracy. It seems that the original crew has decided to rig the elections to stay in office."

AIM and its supporters believe that it is time to re-examine how decisions are made regarding the structure and management of the Internet. With fifty-five million new people online, IAHC's narrow, pre-commercial view no longer speaks to the needs of the Internet community.

"Developing a process to maintain a just and lasting framework for the Internet requires input from all stakeholders - academia, governments, businesses, content providers, and, most important, consumers. That is why we have formed the Open Internet Congress and are calling for the first Internet Constitutional Convention," said AIM Senior Vice President Wayne Thevenot.

Founded in 1993, the Association for Interactive Media is the most diverse coalition of organizational users of the Internet. AIM's mission is to support the efforts of leaders from for-profit and non-profit organizations seeking to serve the public through interactive media. With the ability to form partnerships and friendships among a wide variety of organizations, AIM bridges the gaps between groups working in dozens of different fields to ensure the successful future of new media. AIM has over 300 members including NBC, Infoseek, American Express, CNET, National School Boards Association, Bay Networks, BellSouth and Time Warner. -0-

We are committed to making this an open and democratic conversation with input from all. To join the email list, send the message "subscribe oic" to [e-mail]

CONTACT: Association for Interactive Media

Andy Sernovitz, President

202-408-0008

[e-mail]

http://www.interactivehq.org/oic