Reference Set of
Purpose and Principles

Purpose Statement

...to create the premier electronic system for individuals and organizations to interact commercially, socially and personally, while providing each individual and entity with control of their information, identity, and relationships consistent with healthy communities.

Set of Principles

Principles of Practice:

1. Enable participants to protect identity, relationships and private information from unwanted monitoring, intrusion, disclosure or use.

2. Work to ensure diversity of technologies and communities.

3. Work to ensure that technologies used as part of the IC system are interoperable with one another.

4. Work to ensure that no member obtains an intrinsic advantage in the IC system.

5. Work to ensure that voting rights and membership fees are derived from a common formula based on each member’s contribution to the IC system.

6. Grant authority to enforce agreements and when essential determine identity in order to do so.

7. Freely and fully exchange information relevant to the Purpose and Principles unless it violates confidentiality or materially diminishes competitive position.

8. Resolve conflict without resort to economic, physical or other violence or intimidation.

Principles of Organization:

1. Be open to Membership by any Individual or Institution subscribing to the Purpose and Principles in conducting IC activities.

2. Have the right to self-organize at any time, on any scale, in any form or around any activity consistent with the Purpose and Principles.

3. Conduct deliberations and make decisions by bodies and methods that reasonably represent all relevant and affected parties and are dominated by none.

4. Vest authority, perform functions and use resources in the smallest or most local part that includes all relevant and affected parties.

5. Educe rather than compel behavior to the maximum possible degree.

These principles will be interpreted and applied as a whole. They are intended to balance and interpret each other. No principle shall be applied at the exclusion of others.