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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:#1F497D'>Thank you Robin for all the information you have provided us. Like
Milton, I think that the ‘beauty contest’ mechanism that ICANN is
proposing is abstract and, at best, etymologically obscure. It gives ICANN carte
blance to act as the ex machina and decide which domain names ‘provide
value’ or are ‘important’. Generally, I fell rather uncomfortable
with this issue merely because entities, like ICANN, are not in the position
and do not have the ethical background to decide what is valuable or not. I consider
this issue in particular rather worrying –great pressure should be placed
upon ICANN not to implement it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:#1F497D'>Konstantinos<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:navy'>Dr. Konstantinos Komaitis</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:navy'>Lecturer in IT&T Law, Panellist,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:navy'>Chair Membership Committee,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:navy'>Global Internet Governance Academic Network,</span><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:navy'>University of Strathclyde,</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:navy'>The Law School,</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:navy'>141 St James Road, </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:navy'>Glasgow G4 0LT.</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:#1F497D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:navy'>tel:+44 (0)141 548 4306<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:navy'>fax:+44 (0)141 548 3639<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:navy'>email: k.komaitis@strath.ac.uk</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Non-Commercial User Constituency
[mailto:NCUC-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Milton L Mueller<br>
<b>Sent:</b> 22 April 2008 13:05<br>
<b>To:</b> NCUC-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: new gtld policy update - 11 April mtg and staff notes<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'>Thanks, Robin for this excellent summary of the challenging issues
before us. Are there any impending public comment opportunities to raise these
issues (especially the staff’s alarming reintroduction of beauty
contests)? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'>What we see here is a disturbing but somewhat predictable tendency
to create what you call “carve-outs” – special, privileged
rules tailored to specific interests that allow them to bypass the normal
objections process. So in addition to the already Byzantine and unpredictable
process we add another layer of carveouts. What a nightmare! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 4.0pt'>
<div>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span lang=EN-US>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>
</span></div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:
"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Non-Commercial User Constituency [mailto:NCUC-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Robin Gross<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, April 21, 2008 4:48 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> NCUC-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [NCUC-DISCUSS] new gtld policy update - 11 April mtg and staff
notes</span><span lang=EN-US><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>A few key issues were discussed at the new gtld
policy meeting on 11 April in LA. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>Here are the 70 slides from the meeting:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US> <a
href="http://gnso.icann.org/correspondence/new-gtlds-policy-discussion-11apr08.pdf">http://gnso.icann.org/correspondence/new-gtlds-policy-discussion-11apr08.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>1. There is a question as to whether
a TLD operator can expand its business down the line in ways not outlines in
its original application for a TLD. We have argued that TLD operators
should not be straight jacketed into their business plan 1.0 and should be
allowed to expand their use of the TLD in lawful ways. Some in the
business and registry constituencies want for TLD operators to have to go back
and receive approval from ICANN every time they want to use the TLD in a new
way. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>2. Some want country names and their
abbreviations to be off-limits to anyone for use in a top-level domain.
There is a lot of pressure from GAC to reserve words they would want to
own. The GNSO's response has been GAC can object to any application like
anyone else and take the names it wants that way. But there are still
calls for a reserved name list for country names and abbreviations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>3. When two applicants want the same
string, ICANN is proposing a "beauty contest" method of determining
who should be given the string. This "comparison evaluation"
was not in the GNSO's recommendations and is something ICANN staff has created.
Many in the GNSO expressed concern about this method, but it remains to
be seen whether the GNSO will have final say in what its recommendations are.
The beauty contest criteria for deciding who is awarded a domain name
include very subjective and arbitrary evaluation criteria such as
"provides value", or is "important" to ICANN.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>4. The morality / public order string
criteria continue to be problematic. There is some discussion as to who
has standing to raise an objection to a domain name based on morality and
public order. We have argued that only governments should have such
standing, but the current wording of the recommendation opens it up for any one
in the world to object to a string based on morality and public order.
ICANN will adopt a "one-size-fits-all" for standards of
morality and public order. Very little information on this issue was
given at the 11 April mtg (only 1 slide of 70 slides).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>5. There will be a 3-part test for
OBJECTIONS:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US> For an objection to be successful in
killing an application for a domain name, the objector must prove that:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:54.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt'><span lang=EN-US>-</span><span
lang=EN-US style='font-size:7.0pt'> </span><span
lang=EN-US>Community opposition to the application is substantial; AND<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:54.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt'><span lang=EN-US>-</span><span
lang=EN-US style='font-size:7.0pt'> </span><span
lang=EN-US>Community invoked is a coherent community; AND<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:54.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt'><span lang=EN-US>-</span><span
lang=EN-US style='font-size:7.0pt'> </span><span
lang=EN-US>There is a reasonable association between the community invoked and
the TLD string applied for.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'>6. The trademark and business constituencies want special
privileges for software companies that would prohibit a TLD if it corresponds
to a file extension (like .doc or .pdf). ICANN staff said it was told
that there were no technical problems with such a TLD, but the trademark
industry is still pushing for this and may get the special carve out. At
the meeting I argued that if there is a question of confusion, the objection
process should be used to solve that question. Those companies can go
through the same process that everyone else must go through to raise their
objection based on likelihood of confusion. But the voices for the
special carve-out are loud and well-funded; and the contracting parties don't
care much one way or another so will likely give in to the pressure to create a
presumption against a file extension as a TLD.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'>7. Chart of new gtld sting evaluation process:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'> <a
href="http://gnso.icann.org/correspondence/gtld-process-simplified-10apr08.pdf">http://gnso.icann.org/correspondence/gtld-process-simplified-10apr08.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'>8. And see also the attached briefing notes from ICANN staff
of 14 April.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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