-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: [ PFIR ]  Internet Naming Body Moves to Crack Down on '.sucks'
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 2015 17:59:56 -0700
From: PFIR (People For Internet Responsibility) Announcement List
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Reply-To: PFIR (People For Internet Responsibility) Announcement List
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Internet Naming Body Moves to Crack Down on '.sucks'

(ABC):
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/internet-naming-body-moves-crack-sucks-30211323

    The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, on
    Thursday sent a letter to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and
    Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs to see if the actions of company
    Vox Populi Registry Ltd. are illegal.  ICANN initially approved of the
    so-called top-level domain name, among nearly 600 it has added
    recently to expand beyond common names such as ".com," ''.org" and
    ".us."  But it is backtracking after an advisory panel made up of
    industry groups and companies like Microsoft, Verizon and eBay
    complained last month.  Vox Populi began accepting registrations using
    ".sucks" on March 30 from trademark holders and celebrities before
    it's released to public applicants. It has recommended charging $2,499
    a year for the privilege, and according to Vox Populi CEO John Berard,
    most of the names have been sold by resellers for around $2,000 a
    year.  So far, purchased names include Youtube.sucks, Bing.sucks,
    Visa.sucks, Bankofamerica.sucks, Yahoo.sucks, Telusmobility.sucks and
    other major brand names.

 - - -

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein ([log in to unmask]): http://www.vortex.com/lauren
Founder:
 - Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org
 - PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com/privacy-info
Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility:
http://www.pfir.org/pfir-info
Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Google+: http://google.com/+LaurenWeinstein
Twitter: http://twitter.com/laurenweinstein
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com

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