The Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT) created by ICANN’s Board to allow its Intellectual Property Constituency to propose “solutions” for whatever trademark threat they believe is posed by new gTLDs has issued its final report (available at http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/irt-final-report-trademark-protection-29may09-en.pdf). This proposal is now open to public comment until June 29th. Perhaps in preparation for the upcoming ICANN meeting in Sydney, where the …
Domain Roundtable holds Auction to Benefit Internet Commerce Association
ICA seeks donors of domains with proceeds to help fund association lobbying in Washington Washington, May 22, 2009 – The Internet Commerce Association (ICA) today announced that Thought Convergence, Inc. the owner and operator of the popular Domain Roundtable conference, taking place June 14-17 in Washington, DC, has graciously offered time during the Aftermarket.com premium domain auction to sell domains …
IRT Report Delayed as Original UDRP Drafter Weighs in Critically
The final Report of the Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT) created by ICANN to propose trademark “solutions” for new gTLDs was due on Sunday, May 24th. We checked the IRT home page over the last three days but could find not find it, but did hear through the grapevine that it had been delayed. Today, ICANN finally posted an official notice …
ICA President Mingles with TM Professionals at Annual Gathering
Global trademark professionals converged on Seattle, Washington this week as the International Trademark Association (INTA) held its annual meeting from May 16-21. ICA president Jeremiah Johnston was in attendance in his capacity as Sedo’s General Counsel to represent the company, which has been an INTA member since 2004. While ICANN’s desire to move forward with their rollout of new gTLDs …
ICA Travels to San Francisco to Tell IRT That Domainers Need a Fair and Open Process For UDRP Reform
ICA Counsel Philip Corwin recently traveled to San Francisco to present ICA’s views to the Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT) created by the ICANN Board to propose “solutions” addressing the concerns of trademark owners about new gTLDs. The IRT letter of invitation noted ICA’s filing of a request for investigation by ICANN’s ombudsman, alleging that the IRT is an ICANN “constituent …
Independence or Continued Partnership? — Department of Commerce Solicits Comments on ICANN’s Future
On Friday, April 24th the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration posted a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) requesting comment on the upcoming September 30, 2009 expiration of the current Joint Project Agreement (JPA) with ICANN. The NOI can be found at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-9409.htm as well as http://www.ntia.doc.gov/frnotices/2009/FR_ICANNVol.74_No78_Apr242009.pdf. The comment period closes on June 8th. This NOI seems destined to …
ICA to ICANN: The IRT Must Open Up Or Be Stripped of Official Status and Support
The ICA has just submitted a formal request to Mr. Frank Fowlie, ICANN Ombudsman, requesting an immediate investigation of the non-compliance of the Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT) with applicable provisions of ICANN’s Bylaws. The IRT was created by a March Resolution adopted by the ICANN Board during its Mexico City meeting, and was charged with proposing “solutions” to the concerns …
ICA Tells Kentucky Supreme Court to Uphold Ruling in Domain Name Seizure Case
The Internet Commerce Association today joined in a Friend-of-the-Court brief filed with the Kentucky Supreme Court urging it to uphold the decision of the Court of Appeals that domain names are not “gambling devices” subject to seizure under Kentucky law. Other organizations signing this brief were the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the American …
ICA Tells ICANN: Version Two of New gTLD Guidebook No Improvement Over Its Predecessor
The comment period on Version two of ICANN’s Draft Applicant Guidebooks for new gTLDs closed on April 13th, and the ICA submitted the comment letter below to apprise ICANN of our views on this critically important proposal for DNS expansion. Trouble is, Version Two contained no substantive changes in regard to the key issues for ICA members – differential pricing, …
The “Monster Test” for the IRT
We read and hear a lot of complaints from trademark interests about allegedly rampant cybersquatting and other forms of trademark infringement, but it’s rare to see a story about reverse domain name hijacking and other abuses committed by them. That’s what made it so refreshing to see an article in the Saturday, April 4th Wall Street Journal titled “The Scariest …