ICANN has posted a “tentative roadmap” for the future direction of the new gTLD program. It is available at http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-17aug12-en . This August 17th notice explains that, now that pre-evaluation “batching” has been ruled out, the technical limit of adding a maximum of 1,000 domains per year will require the selection of a pre-delegation “metering” process. The notice provides six …
The ICANN Policy and Decision Making Process is Seriously Flawed
ICANN’s policy and decision making process is supposedly based upon a bottom up, community consensus model. While we are all for careful deliberation before major policies are adopted and implementing actions are taken, we cannot support endless process for its own sake – especially when no concrete action ever results. ICA has just filed a comment letter regarding the July …
Judiciary Committee Leaders Ask ICANN for Further Details on New gTLD Program
The Chairmen and ranking minority members of the U.S. Senate and House Judiciary Committees have sent a letter to ICANN requesting “further details about the steps ICANN is taking to fulfill its commitment to ensure that the New gTLD process will provide “a secure, stable marketplace” with input from “the community as a whole.” The August 7th letter and an …
New gTLDs to be Delayed until Third Quarter of 2013 as ICANN Abandons Evaluation Batching and Seeks Input on Delegation Metering – Provides Additional Time for Open and Transparent URS Implementation
On July 29th ICANN announced that it is inclined to process all of the 1,930 new gTLD applications in a single batch, and that the results of the initial evaluations of all applications will probably be released around June to July of 2013, stating: The current plan indicates that initial evaluation of all applications, processed in a “single batch”, can …
GAC Internal Process for Briefings by New gTLD Applicants and Other Interested Stakeholders Raises Multiple Process and Timing Questions
ICANN has its own internal politics, as we’d expect for any organization having important duties and serving, and subject to input from, multiple constituencies. Those internal politics and “Capital P” politics intersect at its Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC). The GAC’s advisory role assumed more prominence under the Affirmation of Commitments (AOC) entered into upon U.S. relinquishment of direct ICANN oversight, …
ICANN Staff Background Paper Catalogues Extreme Dangers to Registrants of URS Reconfiguration
Last week we became aware of an ICANN staff document, “Briefing Paper on Defensive Registrations at the Second Level”, prepared just in advance of the Prague meeting (available at http://gnso.icann.org/en/correspondence/defensive-registrations-briefing-paper-04jun12-en.pdf). While not the intended purpose, this document reveals much about what is wrong with ICANN’s internal policymaking processes, as well as the substantial danger to registrant rights posed by any …
WIPO to ICANN: On URS “Summits”, It’s Our Way or the Highway
Overview: Timely implementation of the URS, a required RPM for new gTLDs, is critical to the success of the program as well as to the adequacy of registrant rights – for now just at new gTLDs, but with its possible extension to incumbent gTLDs sure to be a subject of future debate. After noting that ICANN’s draft FY 13 budget …
ICA on the Record in Prague
The last full day of every ICANN meeting includes a Public Forum at which attendees and remote participants have an opportunity to address and question the ICANN Board on a wide variety of agenda items. The Prague Public Forum was held on the afternoon of Thursday, June 28th and the full transcript can be found at http://prague44.icann.org/meetings/prague2012/transcript-public-forum-28jun12-en.pdf. ICA Counsel Philip …
DOC Awards IANA Contract Renewal to ICANN – Signed by Beckstrom in Last Official Act
In a July 2nd press release (below), the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it has awarded a renewal of the IANA functions contract to ICANN. According to a Twitter post from outgoing ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom, he signed the agreement on ICANN’s behalf on Sunday, July 1st in Istanbul, Turkey as his last official act as CEO. We note …
ICANN Staff Briefing on RPMs for New gTLDs Provides Few Answers, Raises More Questions
This morning in Prague ICANN senior staff provided a briefing to the GNSO Council on the state of play for the rights protection mechanisms (RPMs) required for new gTLDs. Most of those occupying the packed room appeared to find the information imparted to be incomplete, non-illuminating, and somewhat distressing. First discussing Uniform rapid Suspension (URS), staff again recited the position …