I don't have an issue expanding the scope of the WG by e.g. rechartering as security wg. This would be probably be useful.

In relation to lack of progress on WG policy items and repeated circular discussions, most of the these centered on one of two things 1. perceived lack of viability of some of the operational proposals and 2. using policies to mandate the RIPE NCC to enforce specific behaviour on the part of number resource registrants. Rather than spending more effort on things that we can't agree on, it might be better to focus on things that we can, or at least have a chance of agreeing on? For example common standards for security, operational recommendations, etc.

Nick

Markus de Brün
21 March 2024 at 09:09

Dear Anti-Abuse Working Group Members,


As Co-Chairs, we have been carefully monitoring the discussions on the mailing list and are concerned about the current state of stagnation and lack of progress.

After consideration and discussion among the Co-Chairs, we believe it is necessary to initiate a dialogue regarding the future direction of our working group. Some action is needed to revitalise our efforts.


The Co-Chairs have discussed a number of options, both between ourselves and with the RIPE Chair Team. However, due to the lack of general engagement, and the circular conversations on the list, we see three viable options at this point::


  1. Re-chartering the working group, possibly transitioning it into a Security Working Group to broaden our scope and address related concerns comprehensively. (The current charter can be found here: https://www.ripe.net/community/wg/active-wg/anti-abuse/)

  2. It is possible we are simply the wrong Co-Chairs at the wrong time, so we can step-down and allow the working group to select new Co-Chairs.

  3. Closing the working group if consensus cannot be reached on a viable path forward.


It may be that there are people in the Working Group who are eager to propose new policies, or embark on a project to systematically examine the abuse ecosystem, but over the last year or so, there has been no evidence this is the case.


However, we firmly believe that the best course of action is to engage all members of the Anti-Abuse Working Group in an open and transparent discussion about the challenges we face and the opportunities for positive change. Your input and perspectives are invaluable in shaping the future of our community.


Therefore, we are inviting you to participate actively in this crucial conversation. We encourage you to share your thoughts, suggestions, and concerns regarding the current state of the working group and your vision for its future direction.


Your input will help inform our next steps and guide the evolution of the Anti-Abuse Working Group. We encourage you to share your feedback openly on the mailing list so that all members can participate in the conversation. We hope to discuss the status at RIPE88.


Thank you for reading this far. We look forward to your active participation in shaping the future of the Anti-Abuse Working Group.


Best regards,

Brian, Tobias, Markus