Request to Extend the Issue Freeze Due Date

Dear Tri-Chairs,

I write on behalf of NAI, IAB and DMA to request a three-week extension to the October 2, 2013 deadline for the freezing of issues.  

As noted on the September 18 W3C TPWG weekly call, the new chairs will require at least a few weeks to get up to speed.  It was also noted on the weekly call that in the event of the submission of any new issues, those issues should contain fully documented support in addition to the issue language itself and to be prepared for an answer/question session immediately after submitting the new issue.  The resources needed to draft the documentation for the issues will be attending AdWeek in NYC during the week of September 23 and then attending the IAPP Privacy Academy in Seattle the following week of September 30 and through the present October 2 deadline.

Moreover, the poll, which could potentially dictate a change in course, does not close until October 9.  Also, it does not appear that the October 2 date is tied to any other milestone and that an extension of the current October 2 issue freeze date would not affect any other milestones, especially considering the fact that the TPWG already has 23 issues in the queue that require attention. 

Based on the above facts, a three-week extension would be beneficial to both the new chairs and the participants working diligently to submit new and fully documented issues against the June draft.  NAI, DMA, and IAB would use the additional time to submit fully documented issues as opposed to a skeleton issue.  As you may recall, the major complaint against the Industry Proposal submitted on June 26th, also under a very restrictively short deadline, was that there was not enough non-normative text presented to fully understand the industry's proposal.  A three-week extension would provide much needed relief against the current short deadline of October 2 and permit the submission of fully documented issues that would in turn provide a better foundation from which to proceed.

Best regards,

Jack

Jack L. Hobaugh Jr
Network Advertising Initiative | Counsel & Senior Director of Technology 
1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 750 Washington, DC 20006
P: 202-347-5341 | jack@networkadvertising.org