European Commission calls for an open, independent and accountable governance of the internet

(RAPID)
The European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, has called for more transparency and multilateral accountability in the governance of the internet. At present, a private US-based body, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ( ICANN ), is responsible for coordinating key elements of the internet. The Commission agrees that private companies should continue to take the lead in the day-to-day management of the operation of the internet, as long as they are accountable and independent. The Commission also believes that decisions about the internet, especially those about openness and security, should be taken in a transparent and accountable manner because they affect everyone around the globe. ICANN currently operates under a Joint Project Agreement with the US Department of Commerce which expires on 30 September 2009. In the view of the European Commission, future internet governance arrangements should reflect the key role that the global network has come to play for all countries. Commission Communication "Internet governance: the next steps" COM(2009) 2007.

Labels: Domain_names, Information_society_and_Internet_policy

EU - Commissioner Reding calls for full privatisation and full accountability of ICANN

(RAPID)
In a video posted on her website, Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media, called for greater transparency and accountability in Internet Governance as of October 2009. Key decisions related to Internet Governance, like top level domains and managing the internet's core directory, are currently made by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a private not-for profit corporation established in California. So far, ICANN has been operating under an agreement with the US Department of Commerce. However, this agreement expires on 30 September this year. For the time after, Commissioner Reding outlined a new governance model for the internet. This would include a fully private and accountable ICANN, accompanied by an independent judicial body, as well as a "G12 for Internet Governance" - a multilateral forum for governments to discuss general internet governance policy and security issues. See Text of Mrs Reding's message.

Labels: Domain_names

UK - 'Reduction' seen in abuse sites

(BBC)
The number of websites showing and selling images of child abuse has fallen in the last 12 months. The number of sites hosting such images dropped by 10% in 2008, reveal figures from the Internet Watch Foundation. The watchdog warned that the fall in numbers masked a rise in the severity of images seen on the remaining sites. see also Child Porn Websites Domains Concentrated in Ten Registries (Goldstein Report) A small number of registries and registrars are responsible for three-quarters of child porn websites says the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in their annual report. The IWF found 74 per cent of child sexual abuse domains they traced are commercial operations selling indecent images of children with 76 per cent of these (some 850 unique domains) are registered with just ten unnamed domain name registries. Of these, five registries and registrars accounted for 55 per cent of all the commercial child sexual abuse domains known to IWF during 2008.

Labels: Child_abuse_images, Domain_names, Hotlines, Statistics_and_research

.eu: three years on, three million domain names

(RAPID)
Three years after its launch, the .eu top-level internet domain continues to be a success story. There are now more than three million internet domains under Europe's own top-level domain. Even the financial crisis has not stopped this growth: the number of .eu domains increased by 2% during the first quarter of 2009, and .eu was firmly entrenched as the fifth most popular country code top-level domain worldwide. Early last month, Sweden made a symbolic gesture by being the first Member State to adopt ".eu" for its official website dedicated to the Presidency of the European Union that will start on 1 July: www.se2009.eu.

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN - US questions net overhaul plans

(BBC)
Plans to offer hundreds of new web addresses as alternatives to .com have been criticised by the US government.The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, which oversees net addresses has floated plans for the radical change to the existing system. But the US Commerce department has questioned both the benefits and the costs of such a scheme. Officials have also raised concerns about whether the plans will destabilise the current system.

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN backs auction of disputed domains

(OUT-LAW News)
The body behind the internet's addressing systems has said that it will settle disputes over who wins the right to new generic top level domains (gTLDs) by auction. ICANN has said that auctions will be used if two organisations vying for the right to a gTLD are tied on other grounds.

Labels: Copyright_trademarks_and_patents, Domain_names, Information_society_and_Internet_policy

ICANN - Work remains for new Top Level Internet Domains

(Intellectual Property Watch)
by Monika Ermert. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced the "biggest extension of the DNS [domain name system] in 40 years" after its decision last week to finish implementation of a new policy for introducing new top-level domains (TLDs). One problem is a procedure to allow anyone to file objections against new TLD proposals on the bases of existing rights of others (like those holding trademarks), confusing similarity, economic concerns or concerns of ethnic communities about a new domain. Governments also reiterated that geographical names, including place names, must be avoided or only be granted in case of endorsement by the respective local authorities. But the most discussed and criticised reason for an objection clearly is "morality and public order."

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN adopts new Web site naming rules

(CNET)
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers has voted to relax rules for naming Web sites. At its meeting in Paris, ICANN, a not-for-profit organization that oversees the naming scheme for Web sites, voted to accept a proposal that will allow companies to purchase new top-level domain names ending in whatever they like. See also ICANN go-ahead on gTLDs - with "string criteria" (LINX Public Affairs blog, posred by Malcolm Hutty).

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN - Investigation finds no evidence of front running

(OUT-LAW News)
A committee of the body responsible for the internet's addressing system has found no evidence of front running, a form of deceptive domain name acquisition. Front running has long been rumoured to be in operation by unscrupulous domain name registration companies. They are alleged to monitor what addresses users search for but do not immediately buy. They then buy that domain to sell to the enquirer at a profit, according to reports. But a committee of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) has investigated 120 supposed examples of the cheating and found no wrongdoing.

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN and Google thwart domain-name profiteers

(ZDNet Australia)
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers has formally announced a proposal to make "domain tasting" a thing of the past by changing the way it charges for domain names. Domain tasting is the use of the "add grace period" - a five-day period following registration where the domain name can be deleted at no cost to the registrar - to see how profitable a domain name is.

Labels: Domain_names

UK - Lawyers attack Nominet plan for domain name disputes

(OUT-LAW News)
The registry for .uk domain names has proposed a change in the way that name disputes are handled, but the proposed fast-track system faces criticism for not being radical enough.

Labels: Copyright_trademarks_and_patents, Domain_names

EU domain racks up 2.5 million registrations

(CNET News)
More than 2.5 million people and organizations have registered European Union domain names since .eu was opened to the public a year ago. According to the European Union, .eu is now Europe's third most popular top-level domain and the seventh most popular globally.

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN - Proposal for porn domain rejected

(BBC)
Plans to create an internet domain specifically for pornographic websites have been rejected. The proposal for the .xxx domain was voted out by the overseer of the net's addressing system, seven years after the ideas was first put forward. Board members said they were concerned that approval would put the agency into the position of a content regulator. See Board meeting resolution and transcript. GAC Communique: GAC expresses concern that ICANN could be moving towards assuming an ongoing management and oversight role regarding Internet content which would be inconsistent with its technical mandate. Government of Canada comments on the proposed ICM Registry Agreement. See also Why I Voted For XXX (Susan Crawford), Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) Press Release and .XXX ICANN comments - enormous opposition (Seth Finkelstein).

Labels: Domain_names

New shield foiled Internet backbone attack

(CNET News.com)
An attack in early February on key parts of the backbone of the Internet had little effect, thanks to new protection technology. The distributed denial-of-service attack on the Domain Name System proved the effectiveness of the Anycast load-balancing system, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers(ICANN) said. see also: ICANN has released a factsheet concerning the recent attack on the root server system on 6 February 2007. The factsheet is intended to provide an explanation of the attack for a non-technical audience in the hope of enlarging public understanding surrounding this and related issues. [Ed: it does - very clearly written]

Labels: Domain_names

EU - Time to strengthen economic relations between Japan and the EU

(Europa)
Viviane Reding, Member of the European Commission responsible for Information Society and Media, Annual Conference for the Joint Government-Private Sector Dialogue, Brussels, 26 February 2007. Speaking about creative contents, and notably audiovisual contents, I would like to make two comments related to EU?Japan cooperation. First, I would like a better distribution of Japanese films, notably feature films, in the EU and a better distribution of European films in Japan. Second, I must reflect here the debate which is taking place in EU countries on videogames. As you may know, worries have been expressed in European countries about very violent games imported in Europe. Our industry, with the support of the European Commission, has developed a good functioning system of labelling as regards games not appropriate for certain age categories and content categories. I believe this is a domain, where a discussion is needed between the EU and Japan in order to better understand each other and take advantage of existing best practice.

Labels: Domain_names, Video_games

ICANN - Doubts over internet porn domain

(CBRonline.com)
The resurrected proposal to open an internet domain reserved for porn web sites is looking less likely to succeed, with ICANN's board of directors last week expressing 'serious concerns' about it. A majority of ICANN's directors are concerned that .xxx may not be wanted by the adult entertainment industry it would purport to serve, according to minutes of a February 12 ICANN board meeting.

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN - Triple X, Internet Content Regulation and the ICANN Regime

(Internet Governance Project)
by Milton Mueller. The backers of the controversial .xxx domain have negotiated a new contract with ICANN. Final approval of the contract is still vehemently opposed by an amusing alliance of anti-pornography conservatives and pornographers with investments in existing adult domain names. Nevertheless, chances are now good that it will finally succeed in gaining the approval of the ICANN Board. What are the implications of this probable resolution of the .xxx drama for the Internet and Internet governance? They are major. But no one seems to be talking about them.

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN - Deal signed on .com domain future

(BBC)
The US government has given its blessing to a controversial deal over the future of the lucrative .com net domain. The deal gives .com administrator Verisign control over the domain until 2012. The US Department of Commerce retains some oversight of Verisign and has final approval of any price rises to renew .com net addresses. Critics said the deal gave Verisign a monopoly hold on the iconic domain.

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN - Net Agency Rejects '.travel' Search Plan

(Sydney Morning Herald)
The Internet's key oversight agencyhas rejected a proposed search service to help guide people who mistype ".travel" Web addresses or seek nonexistent ones. The decision comes after a review panel warned that the proposal from Tralliance Corp., which operates ".travel," could hinder spam filters and other applications that rely on the Internet's Domain Name System, the directories crucial for finding websites and sending e-mail.

Labels: Domain_names, Spam

ICANN - The End of the Experiment: Commerce says 'I'm the Decider'

(Internet Governance Project)
ICANN's 8-year experiment in nongovernmental governance of the Internet's domain name system all but came to an end this last November 30. The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that it, and not ICANN, would be the ultimate 'decider' when it comes to dot com. From now on the Commerce Department - not ICANN's policy making process - will provide the final word on renewal of the lucrative .com license. The Commerce Department will Commerce continue to ensure the Internet's "security and stability," and will now ensure that an agreement provides "reasonable price, terms, and conditions." That leaves ICANN with little substantive power over .com. see also Price rise on the cards for .com (Computer Business Review).

Labels: Domain_names

EU - Price of .eu domains slashed

(MIP)
EURid, the registry for .eu domain names, is halving the costs of registering and renewing .eu domain names. As of January 1 2007, the price for registering a domain name and the annual renewal fee will be €5 as opposed to today's €10. The registry said the reduction was due to the high number of domains registered since the .eu domain name was launched at the end of 2005. There are now more than 2.34 million active .eu domain names.

Labels: Domain_names

U.N. summit revives concerns about Net control

(CNET News)
A long-simmering dispute over whether the U.S. government has too much control over the Internet's underpinnings will heat up again next week at a United Nations summit in Greece. Officially, the inaugural meeting of the United Nations' Internet Governance Forum is designed to explore topics like free speech, security, spam and multilingualism. But the diplomatic subtext is more pointed: Does the U.S. government have too much influence over how Internet addresses are allocated and domain names are assigned?

Labels: Domain_names, Spam

A domain by any other name

(Jonathan Zittrain)
The public's dislike of Icann comes partly from the opinion that it exercises too much control over the internet, but that's not the case.

Labels: Domain_names

EU welcomes autonomy plan for Net governance

(CNET)
The European Commission welcomed on Monday U.S. government moves to make the company that manages Internet domain names independent by 2009, but said it would monitor the process carefully.

Labels: Domain_names

Dot eu: Commissioner Reding pays first visit to managers of Europe's new internet domain

(RAPID)
Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding has visited EURid, the independent consortium managing the '.eu' domain name. Commissioner Reding was accompanied by several Members of the European Parliament. The purpose of the visit was to understand the way the new domain name registration system - that so far has attracted more than two million users - functions.

Labels: Domain_names

EU - Thousands of EU net names frozen

(BBC)
Thousands of website names ending in the .eu suffix have been suspended by the body that administers the domain. Brussels-based EURid froze 74,000 domain names which it believes have been stockpiled by a syndicate of registrars who intend to sell them on. The process, known as 'warehousing', is not permitted by EURid which is suing 400 registrars for breach of contract.

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN - Appeal and lawsuit over .xxx rejection

(out-law.com)
The company that called for a .xxx domain on the internet has asked ICANN to reconsider its decision to reject the bid. ICM Registry is also suing the US Government for access to documents that it hopes will prove political interference. ICANN's board rejected ICM's proposal by nine votes to five on 10th May. But ICM filed a request for reconsideration, arguing that the decision was 'based on inaccurate information about the written statements of various governments concerning .xxx'.

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN - A low point

(Susan Crawford)
The decision by ICANN's board, which voted 9-5 to reject the XXX contract, represents a low point for ICANN. I am a member of ICANN's board, and I voted in favor of the agreement. Policies as to the use of domain names, as opposed to the registration of domain names, are not appropriate subjects for ICANN decisionmaking. By keeping such a short leash on ICM's development of its policy organization, which will in turn make decisions about the use of names at the second level, ICANN may be getting into dangerous territory. We should not run the risk of turning ICANN into a convenient chokepoint for the content-related limitations desired by particular governments around the world. see also .XXX and Conservative Groups by Patrick Vande Walle.

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN approves .tel domain

(ZDNet UK)
Internet regulator ICANN has approved the creation of the .tel domain, the company that proposed the domain announced. Telnic, which proposed .tel to ICANN in 2000, said the domain will give individuals and businesses a naming and navigation structure for the Internet communications space.

Labels: Domain_names

Why ICANN was right to reject .xxx

(OUT-LAW News)
The internet's domain naming body has rejected a plan for a .xxx domain, a red light district for the internet. It was the right decision, but not for reasons suggested by the religious right in the US. It was right because the plan was flawed.

Labels: Domain_names

Adult industry welcomes .xxx domain rejection

(CNET News.com)
Adult companies have joined conservative groups in celebrating an Internet regulator's decision to reject the creation of a domain for adult Web sites. Adult-industry observer Scott McGowan, in an article on the EyeOnAdult Web site, said he "just couldn't be happier." He claimed that ICM Registry, which proposed the new top-level domain, was driven purely by the desire to make money.

Labels: Domain_names

ICANN - Plan for .xxx porn domain dropped

(BBC)
Internet regulators have rejected plans to create a domain for pornography websites ending with the .xxx suffix. Advocates of the exclusive domain had argued that it would make it easier for web users to locate - or avoid - pornography online. See ICANN Board Votes Against .XXX Sponsored Top Level Domain Agreement and ICANN Response to GAC Communique and Recent Communication (ICANN). See also Dispute over porn domain name veto (FT), Coalition of willing against EU in online porn dispute (iTWire) and Fight for .xxx not over yet? (Computer Business Review).

Labels: Domain_names