Re: [arch-d] Draft IAB conflict of interest policy

[Joe Touch <[e-mail]>]

On 2020-01-09 10:46, Eric Rescorla wrote:

> I concur with Richard here. The IETF is most successful when we get
> input from people who are directly involved in the technologies that
> we are standardizing, but of course that very often means that they
> are working on those technologies for their employer. And indeed 
> one of the criteria we often use to ask whether someone is a good 
> fit for leadership is whether they have this kind of non-standards 
> "day job" expertise.

That, IMO, is why we encourage their participation in WG discussions and
on lists. 

But it is dangerous to have those parties directly involved in decision
making. The actual and potential COI (esp. perceived potential COI)
undermine the decisions made - even when those decisions are otherwise
reasonable. 

I.e., think of this as protecting the value of IAB decisions (and, as
Ben noted, there are many, esp. during appeals, that are of a
substantive nature that COI benefits). 

Joe