Here is the message I just sent to ORGs discussion list. As an aside, has ORG been asked about involvement in NCUC? Regards David At 5:16 AM +0800 8/7/09, David Cake wrote: > I'll be unfamiliar to most of ORG, because I'm an Australian, >on the board of Electronic Frontiers Australia over here. But some >issues are global, and require global coordination from like minded >organisations, so I'm reaching out to ORG members to see if ORG can >help with an issue. > ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and >Numbers, is the body that oversees and sets policy for domain names >on the internet. It is currently preparing to allow many more >generic top level domain names (gTLDs), and deciding on the policies >that registries for these new top level domains will have to abide >by. > As part of that process, a group consisting of trademark >lawyers and professionals created a report on protecting trademark >owners rights. Many people believe that report goes too far, >introducing new rights for trademark owners and heavily slanting the >process in their favour, and impacting free speech rights. It >includes special rights for large trademark holders, a new process >for fast takedown of domain names based on trademark infringement, >and would commit ICANN to incorporating intellectual property >enforcement into domain registration. This proposal has been rushed >through with minimal opportunity for comment so far, so it is vital >that criticism and comment from those who believe in free speech and >balance in intellectual property enforcement is heard now. The NCUC >(Non Commercial Users Constituency), the group within ICANN where >most civil rights and free speech organisations with goals similar >to ORG are found, is trying to make sure voices critical of this >proposal are heard, and we need help from people who can attend the >various consultation sessions being held on the issues, including an >upcoming session in London. > There will be a New gTLDs global outreach and consultation >event in London on 15 July 2009 at the Royal Institute of British >Architects, 66 Portland Place, London, W1B 1AD. It's free an open >to anyone interested in the issue and having their say. > Registration at <http://www.registration123.com/ICANN/GTLD/> >http://www.registration123.com/ICANN/GTLD/ > Agenda for London meeting >http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/london-agenda-speakers-15jul09-en.pdf > If anyone who is interested in the issue can attend, we think >it would be really valuable. If you'd be interested in coordinating >comments with other non-commercial organisations with a similar >agenda, and getting some introduction to the issues, Konstantinos >Komaitis <[log in to unmask]> from NCUC will be at the meeting, >and hopes to gather and greet those sympathetic to free speech and >non-commercial internet use. > And if you wish to read some of our criticisms of the >proposal ahead of time, they are available online >The NCUC substantive response >http://forum.icann.org/lists/irt-final-report/pdf0VWmEpzuNr.pdf >The NCUC response to ICANN internal procedural issues to do with the report >http://forum.icann.org/lists/irt-final-report/pdftuYUj5owHE.pdf > > Thanks in advance to anyone who can help. > > Regards > David >