[registrars] Fw: [nc-org] Unsponsored, Unrestricted

["Ken Stubbs" <kstubbs@digitel.net>]

fellow registrars

here is a "dot-org" policy draft for your review & comments. please ttry to
get any comments back to me no later than wednesday evening 18:00 hrs
eastern standard time

thanks and happy holidays to all of you

ken stubbs



----- Original Message -----
From: "Milton Mueller" <mueller@syr.edu>
To: <nc-org@dnso.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2001 1:06 AM
Subject: [nc-org] Unsponsored, Unrestricted



========
NAMES COUNCIL .ORG DIVESTITURE TASK FORCE
(Unsponsored, Unrestricted Model)

The .org registry should be operated as an
unsponsored, unrestricted domain, but responsibility
for administration should be delegated to a non-profit
organization that has widespread support from and acts
on behalf of the worldwide community of organizations,
groups, and individuals engaged in noncommercial
communication via the Internet.

1. Characteristics of the Organization

Administration of the .org TLD should be delegated to
a non-profit organization that is controlled by
noncommercial .org registrants and non-commercial
organizations. We recognize that noncommercial
registrants do not have homogeneous views about policy
and management, and that no single organization can
fully encompass the diversity of global civil society.
Nevertheless, applicant organizations should be able
to demonstrate support and participation from a
significant number of international noncommercial
registrants and organizations. The organization's
policies and practices should strive to be responsive
to and supportive of the noncommercial Internet user
community, and reflect as much of its diversity as
possible.

Applicants for operation of the .org registry should
be recognized non-profit corporations, as that is
defined in the legal jurisdiction in which the
organization is incorporated. The articles of
incorporation and bylaws should restrict th
activities of the corporation to the non-profit
management and operation of the .org top level domain
name registry. Subcontracting of operational functions
to for-profit providers is permitted.

Applicants should propose governance structures that
provide noncommercial .org registrants with the
opportunity to directly participate in the selection
of officers and/or policy-making council members. The
bylaws should provide explicitly for an open,
transparent and participatory process by which .org
operating policies are initiated, reviewed and revised
in a manner which reflects the interests of .org
domain name holders and is consistent with the terms
of its registry agreement with ICANN.

2. Policy Guidelines for Applicants

2a. Definition of the .org community
Each applicant organization should include in its
application a definition of the relevant community for
which names in the .org TLD are intended, detailing
the types of registrants who constitute the target
market for .org, and proposing marketing and branding
practices oriented toward that community.

As policy guidance, the DNSO notes that the definition
of the relevant community should be much broader than
formal non-profit organizations. It must also include
individuals and groups seeking an outlet for
noncommercial expression and information exchange,
unincorporated cultural, educational and political
organizations, and business partnerships with non-
profits and community groups for social initiatives.

2b. Unrestricted eligibility
Dot org will remain an unrestricted domain. With a
definition of the served community and appropriate
marketing practices in place, the organization and the
registrars should rely entirely on end-user choice to
determine who registers in .org.

Specifically, applicants:
· Must not propose to evict existing registrants who
do not conform to its target community. Current
registrants must not have their registrations
cancelled nor should theybe denied the opportunity to
renew their names or transfer them to others.

· Must not attempt to impose any new prior
restrictions on people or organizations attempting to
register names

· Should not adopt, or be required by ICANN to adopt,
any new dispute initiation procedures that could
result in the cancellation of domain delegations. The
UDRP would apply as per section 5 below, however.

2c. Support for noncommercial participants
Applicants should propose methods of supporting and
assisting non-commercial participants in the ICANN
process.

2d. Registrars
All ICANN-accredited registrars should be eligible to
register names in .org. However, applicants are
encouraged to propose methods of managing the
relationship between the registry and registrars that
encourage differentiation of the domain.

2e. Definition of marketing practices
Applicants should propose specific marketing policies
and practices designed to differentiate the domain,
promote and attract registrations from the defined
community, and minimize defensive and duplicative
registrations.

3. The Verisign endowment

In order to permit the largest number of qualified non-
profit organizations to compete for award of the .org
sponsorship agreement, the Board should
· require no more than the equivalent of USD$100,000
in demonstrated financial resources from applicants,
and
· fund from the endowment to be provided by Verisign
the costs of conducting the application evaluation and
selection process, and
· upon signing of a sponsorship agreement with ICANN,
the selected non-profit organization will receive an
immediate donation of USD $500,000 from the endowment
to defray its startup and initial operating costs, and
another USD $2 million after it becomes operational to
support publicity and promotional activities required
to differentiate the domain.

4. The Registry Operator

Any entity chosen by the Sponsoring Organization to
operate the .org registry must fuction efficiently
and reliably and show its commitment to a high quality
of service for all .org users worldwide, including a
commitment to making registration, assistance and
other services available in different time zones and
different languages. The price of registration
proposed by the new entity should be as low as
feasible consistent with the maintenance of good
quality service.

5. ICANN Policies

As an unsponsored domain, .org TLD administration must
adhere to policies defined through ICANN processes,
such as policies regarding registrar accreditation,
shared registry access, the uniform dispute resolution
policy, and access to registration contact data via
WHOIS.

6. Follow up

ICANN should invite applications from qualifying non-
profit organizations to assume responsibility for
operation of the .org registry with a deadline no
later than 30 June 2002, so that an evaluation,
selection and agreement process may be completed well
in advance of the 31 December expiration of the
current agreement with Verisign.

ICANN will provide an opportunity for the Names
Council to review the request for proposals (RFP)
prepared by the ICANN staff prior to its public
dissemination, and will adjust the RFP as needed in
consultation with the Task Force to ensure compliance
with the policy. There will be only one review cycle.
Application fees should be as low as possible
consistent with the objective of discouraging
frivolous applications.