Public policy

UNESCO Director-General tells technical community to up its game

by Kieren McCarthy | 7 Jun 2013 |

Open letter highlights failure of browsers, email and apps to bring world's languages online

The Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bakova has sent an open letter to the Internet technical community asking them to do more to make the world's languages available online.

Helping the Internet to deliver economic value

by Jeff Brueggeman | 25 Apr 2013 |

I am a believer in the power of open markets to bring about positive change in the world, drive economic growth and create jobs. Based on an open principles, the Internet has become an indispensable part of the world trade landscape, but I wonder if we have begun to take its impact for granted, expecting it to continue to deliver new opportunity without reminding ourselves that it in fact needs to be protected by robust mechanisms that will safeguard its continuity and influence for the next generation?

New gTLD program waiting on the world's governments

by .Nxt | 8 Apr 2013 |

"GAC advice" will ask for new policies for certain applications

The five-year process for adding over 1,000 new extensions to the Internet is currently waiting on a final set of recommendations from the world's governments.

At ICANN's meeting taking place in Beijing, a range of last-minute issues covering the new gTLD process from contract changes to the protection of names and trademarks are being discussed.

The biggest impact on the process however will be "advice" from the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) that will require certain groups of applicants to introduce additional "safeguards" before they are approved to run a new extension.

Stumbling in the wrong direction

by Kieren McCarthy | 3 Apr 2013 |

ICANN needs to get back to its technical mission before it does real damage to the Internet

It wasn't that long ago - in the days before new gTLDs took up every waking moment of its life - that the most frequent concern expressed about ICANN was "mission creep".

ICANN was set up to administrate the Internet's naming and numbering system, but continually found itself unwillingly pulled into other issues from trademark protection to market regulation, to privacy and legal enforcement concerns.

Atallah responds to industry anger over ICANN contract changes

by Kieren McCarthy | 27 Feb 2013 |

If you have a better solution to the issue, let's hear it

Atallah: Surprised at the strong reaction to suggested contract changes.

ICANN COO Akram Atallah has responded to a wave of angry responses from the DNS industry over proposed changes to new registry contracts by asking it to "step up to the plate" and provide solutions to real problems.

Over 30 responses arrived on the last day of a public comment period on the revised contract, most of them highly critical. Key groups within the organization accused the organization of imposing top-down solutions, that the proposal contained "serious and fundamental flaws" and the revisions amounted to "nothing more than a power grab by ICANN staff".

DNS industry turns on ICANN over proposed contract changes

by .Nxt | 26 Feb 2013 |

Last minute flood of angry responses to new gTLD comment period

The domain name industry has responded angrily to an attempt by oversight organization ICANN to make last-minute changes to a contract covering new Internet extensions.

On the last day of a 21-day public comment period over the proposed changes, ICANN received 31 responses (40 in total). Most significant among them were joint letters from stakeholder groups within the organization all of which were highly critical of proposed changes to the registry contract for new gTLDs.

"Brand Registry Group" letter to ICANN re: PIC spec

Position Paper: Comments on the revised TLD Registry Agreement

Executive summary

The Brand Registry Group – in formation (BRG) makes the following requests in this paper:

a) Extend the deadline for comments until 31 March 2013
b) Create a type 2 Brand Registry Agreement template
c) Establish direct BRG – ICANN dialogue on the detail required to create a Brand Registry Agreement template.

Preliminary Comments

These comments are preliminary. The Brand Registry Group – in formation requests a delay of 30 days ending 31 March 2013 to the deadline for this comment period.

Need for a type 2 Brand Registry Agreement

The proposed Registry Agreement (RA) was written based on the historical experience that top-level domains (TLDs) were of the .com model, sold via Registrars at the second-level to millions of Registrants. This model is unfit-for-purpose for around 637 or 33% of the applications received as these applications are for future top-level domain registry operators:

who are the owners of a company or brand that forms their applied for TLD

NTIA letter to ICANN re: PIC spec

From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
The Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information
Washington, D.C. 20230

To:Dr. Stephen D. Crocker
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
12025 Waterfront Drive, Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA 90094-2536

Dear Dr. Crocker:

Feb 26, 2013

On February 3, 2013, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) posted for public comment a revised new generic top-level domain name (gTLD) Registry Agreement that includes certain updates and changes, including a Public Interest Commitments Specification. I am writing to express the strong support of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for this step and commend ICANN for so directly responding to the concerns previously expressed by the members of the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), including the United States, regarding the need for new gTLD applicants' commitments to be binding and enforceable. We therefore appreciate the opportunity to offer initial views on these proposals.

Internet community gives Public Interest Commitment a thumbs down

by .Nxt | 19 Feb 2013 |

The proposal to introduce a "public interest commitment" to applications for new top-level domains is proving unpopular with the Internet community.

Among the complaints about the "PIC" specification – which the ICANN Board unexpectedly produced and put out for comment earlier this month – are that it would led to a "material change" in applications, that the process remains undefined, and that the organization is rushing through a significant change without adequate consultation.

None of those we spoke to wanted to go on the record – many are preparing joint statements that they intend to post to ICANN's public comment period – but they represent across-the-board frustration with a process that veers from delay and inactivity to sudden and unexpected changes and requirements.

ICANN gambles on public interest contract add-on

by Kieren McCarthy | 8 Feb 2013 |

Only small number of new gTLD applicants will consider rushed process

ICANN has attempted to answer concerns that new gTLD applicants may renege on public commitments with a last-minute contractual add-on.

Following a special Board meeting last weekend, the organization's COO this week outlined plans for a "public interest commitment" that would see applicants voluntarily agree to make aspects of their application binding.

ICANN subsequently published for public comment a revised version of its contract, complete with a new Specification 11. Within that specification, applicants can either list which parts of their application they wish to be considered binding - and so tied in with third-party dispute resolution complete with the risk of losing their rights to run the registry - or add additional information regarding existing commitments.

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