[cabfpub] Ballot FORUM-019 v.2 - Amend Server Certificate Working Group Charter - Discussion Period

[Tobias S. Josefowitz]

Hi Ben,

On Thu, 16 Nov 2023, Ben Wilson via Public wrote:

> *Ballot FORUM-019 v.2 - Amend Server Certificate Working Group Charter*
>
> *Purpose of Ballot*
>
> This ballot proposes to amend the Server Certificate Working Group (SCWG)
> Charter, based on existing version 1.2 of the Charter and on recent updates
> to the Forum?s Bylaws.

The updated membership criteria look really good now, thank you for your 
work on that!

I also noticed the adjustments you made to the changes in 4(d). 
Restricting the right to request a vote about (now: Voting) Membership 
only to cases where "adherence to all of the requirements of the Forum's 
Code of Conduct and section 3(a) or 3(b) of this Charter" is "challenged" 
is at least better than restricting it only to challenges of meeting the 
Membership criteria in 3(a) and 3(b).

However, I think there are different interpretations possible of what 
adherence to the Code of Conduct entails. There is always the question of 
where to draw the line of course, but that is not what I mean. I am more 
concerned that the Code of Conduct opens with:

   "To maintain a professional and productive environment, it is necessary
   for Members of the Forum to follow the letter and spirit of this Code.
   This Code applies to all official Forum activities, such as meetings,
   teleconferences, mailing lists, conferences, and other Forum functions.
   The Forum is committed to maintaining a professional and respectful
   environment."

It has further language indicating that it is meant to apply to Forum 
activities, such as "In connection with official Forum activities, all 
Forum participants shall".

At the same time, the Code of Conduct contains some excellent provisions, 
such as "Honesty and integrity are also paramount in all of our actions 
and interactions." That is something that in itself would indeed cover 
many cases of Members whose participation in the Forum might substantially 
erode trust into the WebPKI ecosystem.

Hence I wonder what the intention is here with reference to the Code of 
Conduct. Is it to cover such behaviour as would not be acceptable if it 
were subject to the Code of Conduct, or is the intent here indeed to 
restrict valid reasons for requesting a vote about (voting) membership to 
only the formal membership criteria and behaviour in the Forum (presumably 
during the intial 6 months probationary period) relevant to the Code of 
Conduct?

Tobi