Social Issues

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.

ICANN Beijing: Update on the ATRT

by .Nxt | 6 Apr 2013 |

It's only the most important ICANN process you've never heard of

"ICANN is reviewing itself to death. So it would be nice to know why the current review process doesn't work."

There is a certain irony in the fact that ICANN Board member Chris Disspain was asking this of the organization's lead review team - the Accountability and Transparency Review Team, or ATRT.

Disspain is right though, as he often is when it comes to identifying the problems, many self-inflicted, that ICANN faces. He went on to identify a number of other structural and cultural issues, as well as spot where the organization had actually improved in the past year.

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".

Internet registries raise gTLD stakes with open teleconference

by .Nxt | 27 Feb 2013 |

Webinar turns tables on ICANN

The companies that run much of the domain name system are pushing a contractual dispute with overseeing organization ICANN public.

In an unusual move, the Registry Stakeholder Group of ICANN (RySG), which represents all the registries currently under contract with ICANN, and the New gTLD Applicant Group (NTAG), which represents more than half of the 1,930 applications for new Internet registries, have published an invitation for a public teleconference to discuss the proposed contract changes.

Anyone interested is invited to attend the online meeting on Monday, March 4, 2013 at 1500 UTC through the address http://icann.adobeconnect.com/rysg/. Those who wish to speak will have to call in and use the password "RY"; call-in numbers are provided on the invitation.

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.

PIR opens pre-registration for dot-ngo

by Kieren McCarthy | 19 Feb 2013 |

The Public Interest Registry has opened pre-registration for dot-ngo domains, encouraging non-profits and non-governmental organizations to indicate early interest in the registry.

Registration is through a simple online form and does not represent a commitment to purchase a domain (PIR is calling the process an "expression of interest"), but it will mean that organizations receive useful information and updates as the application progresses through to approval.

PIR's Chief Operating Officer Nancy Gofus explained to .Nxt that PIR expects dot-ngo domains (as well as the French version, dot-ong) to go live in early 2014 but that she wanted to reach out to the non-profit community early and "inform them of the steps they can take now".

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