>>> Robin Gross <[log in to unmask]> 12/12/2006 5:55:12 PM >>> >2. New gTLDs and Draft GNSO Recommendations >Our constituency should submit its comments on the draft proposal for >the new gTLDS within the next few weeks also (due 20 Dec). Thanks Robin. I completely agree with your comments on the new TLD proposals. I also believe that commercial gTLDs should be auctioned (as NCUC proposed long ago) with lotteries or some other neutral method used for noncommercial TLDs. I think you could cut and paste Robin's paragraph below, and add some stuff from our earlier position paper on new TLDs and have the backbone of a position paper. We may need to map it to the specific paragraphs of the GNSO proposal. If someone volunteers to do the first cut, I will do the second cut. ======== Robin: The current proposal is terrible. It would model speech for the Internet on ancient 19th century treaty language (trademarks) and forbid any words in new gTLDs that have religious, sexual, or political connotations. It would put ICANN in a position to engage in massive censorship and choose between competing standards of morality and religions. Besides being wrong on pure censorship grounds, the proposal is completely unworkable and would put an enormous burden on ICANN staff to evaluate "worthiness" between competing claims, evaluate business plans, review financial statements, etc of new gTLD applicants. It would also put a lot of legal liability on ICANN and open it up to numerous lawsuits from any party who felt ICANN wrongfully awarded a gTLD to a competitor. I can post more detailed comments on this issue to the list so we can begin to prepare our constituency statement. Its very important we provide comments on this issue.