Re: [wg-c-1] Wecome to Drafting Committee 1

["Rod Dixon, J.D., LL.M." <rod@cyberspaces.org>]

I agree. The first question is our threshold issue.

1.  Should there be new gTLDs?  If so, how many?

I suspect, however, that we may only be able to address the first part
of question #1 before we consider the substantive issue raised by Jon.
Implicitly, who or what should determine the number or ceiling on the
number of new gTLDs is a subset of the question: whether ICANN or the
"marketplace" should determine the name of the new gTLDs (if there are
any).  Consequently, the second part of question #1 should be addressed
when we consider the same substantive question raised by Jon.


Jonathan Weinberg wrote:
> 
>         The exchange between Chris and Ross demonstrates that there's a
> substantive question we have to address before we can get to the question
> of "what the new gTLDs should be" (if, indeed, we get to that question at
> all).  That question is:
> 
> *       Should ICANN, in expanding the name space, consider the names or charters
> of the particular TLDs seeking authorization, so as to achieve policy goals
> relating to the structure of the expanded name space?  Or should it
> consider only the number of new TLDs, and the speed at which they should be
> added, leaving the structure of the expanded name space to the marketplace?
> 
>         Chris has urged that the answer to my first question is no, and that the
> answer to my second is yes.  I understand Kevin to argue the opposite, at
> least to some extent; he's suggested that it would be undesirable to have
> only general-purpose TLDs.  But unless we can reach adequate consensus that
> ICANN *should* be considering the names or charters of the particular TLDs
> seeking authorization, then we're not in a position to consider either
> "what should the new TLDs be" or whether they should have charters.
> 
> It may make sense, therefore, to modify Javier's set of questions slightly,
> to look something like this:
> 
> 1.  Should there be new gTLDs?  If so, how many?
> 
> 2. If there are to be new gTLDs, should they be introduced all at one time,
> one at a time, or in groups, and over what time period?
> 
> 3. Assuming that a limited number of new gTLDs is to be deployed over a
> period of time in the near future, how should ICANN select the gTLDs to be
> deployed, and the registries deploying them?  Should it consider the names
> or charters of the particular TLDs seeking authorization?  If so, what
> should the new gTLDs be?  In what order should they be introduced?  Should
> each one, or certain ones, have a specific charter? In other words, should
> some gTLDs be limited to use by certain entities, and if so should the
> limitation be mandatory?  If the limitation is to be mandatory, what should
> be the enforcement mechanism and who should be the enforcement body?
> 
> 4. What should be the mechanism for developing new gTLDs after the first
> new gTLDs are deployed?
> 
> Jon
> 
> Jon Weinberg
> Professor of Law, Wayne State University
> weinberg@msen.com

-- 


Rod Dixon
Visiting Assistant Professor of Law
Rutgers University School of Law - Camden
rod@cyberspaces.org
http://www.cyberspaces.org