Public Comment gives the ICANN community, Internet stakeholders, and the general public an opportunity to provide input on ICANN'S work and policies. It is a vital part of our multistakeholder model and contributes to our transparency and accountability commitments.

The ICANN Board, Supporting Organizations, Advisory Committees, or ICANN organization (org) can open a Public Comment proceeding, outlining specific issues or questions for feedback. Stakeholders provide opinions and recommendations, and their submissions are public and archived. ICANN org summarizes the submissions and identifies common themes in a summary report. The group that opened the proceeding, reviews the submissions and summary report, addresses the input, and proposes next steps.

ICANN may seek Public Comment on a variety of topics, including but not limited to:

• ICANN org or community governance documents such as the ICANN Bylaws; strategic, operating, and financial plans; budgets; and community charters.
• Policy recommendations including reports of potential, ongoing, and completed policy development processes.
• Recommendations from Organizational and Specific Reviews.
• Implementation plans for approved Consensus Policy recommendations.
• Cross-community working group recommendations.
• ICANN base agreements with registry operators and registrars.

Your participation is important. Learn more about how to make a Public Comment submission and track your previous submissions by reading thishelpful guide.

All Public Comment submissions, including the name and contact information of the submitter, are public and archived. All submissions must adhere to the ICANNExpected Standards of Behavior and are subject to the ICANNTerms of Service.

The Public Comment process reflects diverse viewpoints and expertise, helping to strengthen and refine proposals. Transparent and accountable proceedings help reinforce the legitimacy of the outcomes. Public Comment is an example of the multistakeholder model in action.