Sunday, November 22nd, was the filing deadline for comments on the third version of the Draft Applicant Guidebook (DAG) for new gTLDs, so ICA and many others dutifully submitted further input on this latest iteration of the proposed rules of this new game. IT seems that the opening date for acceptance of applications for new gTLDs recedes further rather than …

Just as we were completing our analysis and preparing a response to WIPO’s announcement that it intends to propose a fast track version of the UDRP before year’s end and implement that expedited procedure in the first quarter of 2010, comes an announcement from ICANN that the Czech Arbitration Court (CAC) has proposed its own version of fast track UDRP …

On Monday, November 3rd it became public knowledge that WIPO intends to propose a “fast track” UDRP process before the end of 2009. Following a 30-day public comment period, WIPO expects to implement the new process in the first quarter of 2010. While early details are sketchy, the information available indicates that the filing fees for this process will be …

ICA Counsel Philip Corwin attended the final ICANN meeting of 2009 held in Seoul, South Korea from October 24-30 to represent and speak for the interests of ICA members. On Thursday, October 29th the ICANN Board conducted its regular Public Forum, at which meeting participants can address their questions and concerns directly to Board members. Mr. Corwin used this opportunity …

Slow down or speed up? It depends on who you ask. ICANN’s ongoing meeting in Seoul has heard very different opinions on whether new gTLDs are ready for prime time. But the real world  bottom line seems to be that the application window will not be opening until fall 2010 at the earliest, and that no new gTLDs will be …

Has ICANN’s Board assigned its policy-making GNSO Council an impossible task in directing it to attempt to reach consensus on alternatives to the staff “assimilation” of the IRT recommendations regarding the Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) and Trademark Clearinghouse proposals?  (See https://www.internetcommerce.org/ICANN_Requests_GNSO_Feedback for background on that request.) That question was grappled with at length during an all-day meeting of the Council …

Greetings from Seoul, an exciting and dynamic city that is a fascinating mix of the 21st century and traditional culture. Pre-meetings of ICANN’s policymaking GNSO commence tomorrow morning, where scores of jet-lagged “community members” will attempt to stay alert and engage in coherent and productive discussions. On the eve of the meeting, members of the volunteer Drafting Team, including yours …

We recently noted (see https://www.internetcommerce.org/ICANN_Releases_DAGv3)  that the third version of the Draft Applicant Guidebook (DAG) for new gTLDs did not contain the Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) policy and several other trademark protection mechanisms proposed by the Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT) but instead left the final decision on these matters to ICANN’s Board, to be made after consultation with the Generic …

As anticipated, ICANN has just released the third version of the Draft Applicant Guidebook (DAG) for new generic top level domains (gTLDs). The DAG has been revised in more than 50 areas, so we will be combing through it to fully understand its potential impact on the domain investment community. (DAGv3 available at http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/comments-3-en.htm.) In the area of greatest concern …

ICANN has taken considerable heat from many parties that it has yet to produce a convincing economic study detailing the market demand and viability of new generic top level domains (gTLDs). But a recently issued, ICANN-funded technical study makes a strong case for delaying the introduction of new gTLDs and other root zone changes until domain name system  (DNS) security …