The Internet Commerce Association has just filed supplementary comments with ICANN regarding the proposed test for automatic disqualification of applicants for new gTLDs. ICA had previously advised ICANN on December 9, 2010 that the “three strikes” test for UDRP losses needed to be refined to take into account an applicant’s domain portfolio size as well as overall UDRP decision history. …
DOC Should Support UDRP Reform
Back in November 2010 we noted that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, under Congressional mandate, was soliciting comments regarding how trademark “bullies” abuse the judicial system. (See https://www.internetcommerce.org/PTO_Asks_for_Data_on_Trademark_Bullies). ICA has just filed a comment letter with the USPTO urging that the Department of Commerce, especially through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, engage with ICANN to encourage meaningful and …
ICANN Takes ICA Advice and Extends Comment Period on New gTLD Applicant Guidebook
On Monday, December 6 – the opening day of ICANN’s Cartagena meeting – ICA filed a request that ICANN extend the deadline for comments on the proposed Final Applicant Guidebook for new gTLDs by 2-3 weeks beyond its original end date of Friday, December 10. Our letter (available at http://forum.icann.org/lists/5gtld-guide/msg00021.html) stated in part: The 28 days allowed for comment on …
ICANN Board Defers Action on New gTLD Guidebook Until a Date Uncertain, While Announcing Intention to Enter into .XXX Registry Contract
ICANN’s Board ended the Cartagena meeting with a contention-free public session that left potential new gTLD applicants and all other interested parties with continuing uncertainty about when — and even if—the new gTLD Guidebook will be finalized and a date certain set for the submission of applications. But it seemed to put in place an endgame for the multi-year struggle …
ICA Speaks Out at the Cartegena Public Forum
On the afternoon of Thursday, December 9th ICA Counsel Philip Corwin presented the following oral statement to the ICANN Board on the topic of the proposed Final Applicant Guidebook for new gTLDs— PHILIP CORWIN: Good afternoon. Philip Corwin, counsel for the Internet Commerce Association, representing domain name investors and developers. And to set my remarks in context, ICA members own …
ICA Tells ICANN That UDRP “Three Strikes” Applicant Disqualification Criteria Must Be Refined, and URS Response Time Clarified, In New gTLD Applicant Guidebook
Having received no response to its request that the comment period on the proposed Final Applicant Guidebook for the new gTLD program be extended by an additional 14-21 days, the ICA today filed its comments while participating in the ongoing Cartagena meeting. ICA will be speaking on these points to the ICANN Board at the Thursday, December 9th Public Forum, …
GAC Versus Board “Smackdown” Ends Day Two In Cartagena
The second day of ICANN’s 39th Meeting in Cartagena, Colombia ended with what would be characterized in diplomatic circles as a “full and frank discussion of the issues” – and in professional wrestling circles as a “smackdown” – as ICANN’s Board and its Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) met in open public session before a SRO crowd. The EU’s representative led …
Forecast for Cartagena: Hot and Stormy
While the torrential rains that swept through Cartagena, Colombia throughout Friday, December 3rd have given way to steady sunshine since, the atmosphere within the Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala Convention & Exposition Center – site of ICANN’s 39th meeting – remains hot and stormy. Both proponents and opponents of the new gTLD program are hurling their last rhetorical salvos with the …
PTO Asks for Data on Tactics of Trademark “Bullies”
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has asked for input from small businesses who believe they have been victimized by trademark “bullies”. Since every individual domainer and the vast majority of the commercial entities serving domain investors and developers are small businesses, this is an open invitation for domain industry participants to share their stories with the government in …
Senate Judiciary Committee Reports Domain Blocking Legislation
During its November 18th Executive Business Meeting the Senate Judiciary Committee reported out an amended version of S. 3804, Chairman Leahy’s domain blocking legislation. The vote in favor of reporting the bill for full Senate Consideration was a unanimous 18-0. The amended version of the bill omits the proposal for a Justice Department “blacklist” of domains it believes are dedicated …