Best Practice Corporate Governance and Protection of Wider Stakeholder Interests in .uk

1. Best Practice Corporate Governance and Protection of Wider Stakeholder Interests in .uk Lesley Cowley – CEO Nominet

2. “May you come to the attention of people in high places” • World Summit on the information Society (2003, 2005) • OECD Ministerial 2008 on the Future of the Internet Economy • The Internet: A victim of its own success? • Or recognition the importance of the Internet to our daily lives?

3. The Internet as a Force for Good • The greatest flowering of human creativity since the Renaissance (but without the bloodshed); • Underpinned growth and wealth creation • What has made the Internet so successful? • Rapid innovation • Industry lead • Little regulation • Global

4. The Internet as a Challenge • The threat to the individual • Countries can’t control their own destinies • Content becomes an issue • What has made the Internet so threatening? • Rapid innovation • Industry lead • Little regulation • Global

5. Is the Internet Ungovernable? • Regulation is economic suicide? • No action is political suicide? • Can we regulate it globally? • Self-regulation is dead – long-live self-regulation!

6. Self-Regulation: What does it mean? What can it achieve? • Laws already exist (on-line as off-line) • Some more general powers in UK legislation • Serious Organised Crime Prevention Act • Proceeds of Crime Act • Self-regulation is not an easy option • Working with others

7. Nominet’s Approach • Our vision is of a world where the Internet is a trusted space, which everyone can be part of and has a positive impact on people’s lives. • Our mission is to make a positive difference to UK Internet users and to shape the development of the Internet. We will do this by delivering excellence and innovation in our products and services, driven by the needs of our stakeholders, and creating a company where our people love coming to work.

8. Corporate Governance • Many of our structures were created years ago • Comparison with best practice necessary • Recognition of the role and responsibilities of the registry • Good governance builds trust, confidence and stakeholder accountability • Corporate governance measures – disclosure of interests, independent directors, public accountability and transparency • Good corporate governance as an element of good self-regulation

9. Self-regulation: An example – the IWF • The UK Hotline for reporting illegal content specifically: • Child sexual abuse content hosted worldwide and • Criminally obscene and incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK • A highly successful industry initiative that has led to near eradication of hosting child sexual abuse content • Members have an obligation to act • Nominet are members

10. Self-regulation: An example – Working with the Metropolitan Police • Dialogue on ticket scam sites • Direct contact with Nominet’s Abuse Team (building trust) • Presentation to Nominet’s Policy Advisory Body • Setting up a liaison group with Law Enforcement Agencies

11. Nominet’s Response to the Government • Corporate Governance Review • Reform of the Policy Advisory Body • Working with Stakeholders

12. Conclusions • Expectations are high and well above what we can actually do (legally, contractually, responsibly) • Need to update and improve our corporate governance • Need to improve understanding of what works, what is practical, what is legal • Open to stakeholders to understand issues better • Work in partnership to improve success in addressing abuse • The Internet has changed and so must we: we must be as responsive to our national community as we can be