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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.

Verisign loses dot-com piggybank

by Kieren McCarthy | 30 Nov 2012 |

US government intervenes, raising questions about ICANN stewardship

Verisign shares have plunged 15 percent, wiping $850 million off the company's value, on the news that it will not be allowed to raise prices on dot-com domains for the next six years.

The current wholesale price for dot-coms stands at $7.85 and the company had already agreed a six-year extension on its right to exclusively sell the domains with DNS overseeing organization ICANN. That agreement mirrored one signed in 2006 that allowed Verisign to raise the price by seven percent in four of the six years the contract ran.

However the contract was subject to approval by the US Department of Commerce and it decided to remove the price-rise clause before signing. A short statement issued by the DoC quoted Assistant Secretary Larry Strickling saying that "consumer will benefit from Verisign's removal of the automatic price increase".

"Sickening" NomCom must be reformed, says ex-chair

by Kieren McCarthy | 13 Oct 2012 |

Rob Hall decries lobbying, inexperience and damaging insider nature of crucial ICANN body

The ex-chair of ICANN's Nominating Committee has called for an "open and frank" discussion to reform what he says is a fatally flawed, even corrupt, process that selects half of the organization's Board members.

"I am deeply concerned about how the NomCom functions," Rob Hall told .Nxt, "and I could not change it from within."

Among the extraordinary accusations Hall levels at the committee are: determined lobbying reflecting politics in other parts of the organization; use of the Committee to provide free travel support to ICANN meetings; an insider culture that promotes friends and colleagues ahead of more qualified candidates; and a refusal to listen to formal advice from ICANN's own Board of Directors.

chat
Generic
Initial Evaluation
Priority number: 
1534
Members only

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Applicant
IM TLD Inc.
F⁄19, BC1, Ras Al Khaimah FTZ P.O Box # 16113
Ras Al Khaimah
Ras Al Khaimah
16113
United Arab Emirates
Phone: 
+14153580831
Fax: 
+15126847732
http://www.radixregistry.com
Registry services
ARI Registry Services

live
Generic
Initial Evaluation
Priority number: 
218
Members only

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Applicant
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond
Washington
98052-7329
United States
Phone: 
+1 425 882 8080
Fax: 
+1 425 706 7329
http://www.microsoft.com
Registry services
Verisign

city
Generic
Initial Evaluation
Priority number: 
495
Government objection(s): 
Australia
Germany
Members only

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Applicant
DotCity Inc.
F⁄19, BC1, Ras Al Khaimah FTZ P.O Box # 16113
Ras Al Khaimah Ras Al Khaimah
16113
United Arab Emirates
Phone: 
+14153580831
Fax: 
+15126847732
http://www.radixregistry.com
Government objection(s)
Explanation: 

*** Australia ***
The use of geographic names at the second level: The string (.city) is a generic geographic term, and DotCity Inc does not appear to have proposed sufficient mechanisms to allow communities to protect their names and reputations from misuse at the second level.

*** Germany ***
The global connectivity of the internet entails a risk of misinterpretation and misunderstanding within the internet community. In most cases, the average internet user will expect an SLD like “(name of a town).city” to be hosted by the official representation of a local authority, in which its public services and attractions are properly introduced.

Reason/Rationale: 

*** Australia ***
The proposed string, .city, is a generic geographic term.

DotCity Inc does not appear to specify sufficient mechanisms to allow communities to protect their names and reputations from misuse at the second level, except through defensive registrations.

The protection of geographic names at the second level has been the subject of previous GAC advice (for example, Principle 2.7 of the GAC Principles regarding new gTLDs).

Early warnings provide a mechanism to initiate a discussion between a government and an applicant on particular issues or questions. It is intended that a constructive dialogue through this process will assist applicants to better understand the concerns of governments, and help governments to better understand the planned operation of proposed gTLDs.

*** Germany ***
The introduction of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) by ICANN creates new possibilities for various sectors to present themselves on the internet and is therefore basically welcome in terms of a future orientated, globally networked economic policy. The gTLD “.city” offers many chances for local and regional authorities to optimize their presentations in many different fields, and to demonstrate their attractiveness for the local Industry and tourism. Furthermore, it provides an efficient promotion tool for small and medium-sized businesses and service providers of various sectors which mainly target an urban market and its local population. Therefore, the government of Germany welcomes the efforts of privatesector companies to establish “.city” as a self-explanatory TLD. Because local and regional governments have a legally protected right to their own name in Germany, their apprehensions about possible misinterpretations in connection with this new gTLD are the concern of the German Government. In this respect the German government observes that the definition of geographic names used in ICANN’s applicant guidebook is not extensive, in particular regarding city names. It therefore appears to be necessary for the registry of a “.city” to develop safeguards that avoid any misinterpretation and confusion for internet users.

Possible Remediation: 

*** Australia ***
DotCity Inc should detail appropriate mechanisms to allow communities to protect their names and reputations from misuse.

These mechanisms should form part of any binding contract with ICANN, and be subject to clear compliance oversight by ICANN.

*** Germany ***
To enhance the protection against any misuse or misinterpretation of geographic names, the German Government suggests an implementation of the following terms as a safeguard within every applicant’s regulations:

- For all SLDs which contain the name of a city or community the applicant must provide a letter of approval or permission from the respective local authority

- Court decisions concerning the use of city names as SLDs are binding for both registry and registrant, in particular will the SLD in question be treated accordingly.

- If the legal ownership of a SLD is challenged in court, there must be a record at the registry to prevent the current holder from selling on the rights to the SLD, thus making it impossible from the plaintiff to assert his claim

Further Notes: 

*** Australia ***
This Early Warning is from the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE), on behalf of the Australian Government. In the first instance, communications and responses to this early warning should be emailed to gacearlywarning@gac.icann.org, with the text “Australian EW” and the application ID in the subject field.

*** Germany ***
The government of Switzerland supports this EW (see also the attached e-mail correspondence).

Registry services
ARI Registry Services

news
Generic
Initial Evaluation
Priority number: 
1476
Members only

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Applicant
DotNews Inc.
F⁄19, BC1, Ras Al Khaimah FTZ P.O Box # 16113
Ras Al Khaimah
16113
United Arab Emirates
Phone: 
+14153580831
Fax: 
+15126847732
http://www.radixregistry.com
Registry services
ARI Registry Services

yandex
Brand
Initial Evaluation
Priority number: 
380
Members only

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Applicant
YANDEX, LLC
16, Lva Tolstogo Street
Moscow
119021
Russia
Phone: 
+74957397000
Fax: 
+74957397070
http://www.yandex.ru
Registry services
Neustar

tickets
Generic
Initial Evaluation
Priority number: 
406
Members only

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Applicant
Accent Media Limited
239 Regents Park Road
London
N3 3LF
United Kingdom
Phone: 
+447970628509
Fax: 
+4722837011
Registry services
Afilias
PIC spec
Elements covered: 
  • Protection of Geographic Names
  • Business Plans
Details: 

• Registry Operator will seek to minimize abusive registrations by operating a strong Anti-Abuse Policy (as
amended from time to time).

• The Anti-Abuse Policy will be enacted under the contractual authority of Registry Operator through the
Registry-Registrar Agreement at launch of the registry, and the obligations will be passed on to and made
binding upon registrants such that Registry Operator may reject a registration request or a reservation
request, or may delete, revoke, suspend, cancel, or transfer a registration or reservation in cases where a
domain has been used abusivel

• The Anti-Abuse Policy will be posted on the TLD web site along with contact information for registrants or
users to report suspected abuse.

• The Anti-Abuse Policy is designed to address the malicious use of domain names.

• The Registry Operator definition of abusive use of a domain includes, without limitation, the following:
Illegal or fraudulent actions; Spam; Phishing; Pharming; Malicious fast-flux hosting; Botnet command and
control; Illegal Access to Other Computers or Networks.

• Registry Operator will establish an abuse point of contact that will be a role-based e-mail address of the
form “abuse@registry.tickets”.

• Assessing and resolving abuse reports requires great care, and Registry Operator intends to rely upon
professional investigators who are versed in such matters in order to provide timely responses and
resolution of reports of abuse complaints.

• Registry Operator recognizes that rights protection is a core responsibility of the TLD operator, and this
will be supported by a fully-developed plan for rights protection that includes:

(a) Establishing mechanisms to prevent unqualified registrations (e.g., registrations made in violation of the
registry’s policies);

(b) Implementing a robust 90 day Sunrise program, utilizing the Trademark Clearinghouse, the services of
one of ICANN’s approved dispute resolution providers, and a trademark validation agent

(c) Implementing a professional trademark claims program that utilizes the Trademark Clearinghouse.

• Registry Operator will monitor and prevent second-level registrations of exact matches of geographic
names per the Applicant Guidebook definition (and as amended from time to time), except by authorized
representatives of the relevant and appropriate governmental authority of the territory

• Registry Operator will monitor and prevent second-level registrations of exact matches of IGO names
(according to the list to be provided by the GAC and as amended from time to time) except by authorized
representatives of the relevant and appropriate IGO

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