[ALAC] Fwd: [Gnso-newgtld-wg] Domain Name Promotion

[Carlton Samuels]

As the world turns........

==============================
*Carlton A Samuels*

*Mobile: 876-818-1799Strategy, Planning, Governance, Assessment &
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kurt Pritz <kurt at kjpritz.com>
Date: Sun, Apr 2, 2017 at 5:16 PM
Subject: [Gnso-newgtld-wg] Domain Name Promotion
To: Jeff Neuman <jeff.neuman at comlaude.com>, avri at apc.org
Cc: "gnso-newgtld-wg at icann.org" <gnso-newgtld-wg at icann.org>


Hi Jeff, Avri, et al:

I saw that this has been published. https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/
correspondence/diaz-to-atallah-et-al-14mar17-en.pdf

The reason I am writing is in reference to the proposal that: “ICANN create
a fund, to be seeded with US$3M at start-up, to promote universal awareness
of new gTLDs to the general Internet user community, and universal
acceptance of new gTLDs across the Internet.”

In the past, when ICANN staff members have been asked in public fora to
begin an effort to promote the use of domain names, the response has
generally been that it is not ICANN’s role to promote the use of domain
names and domain name registries.

To me, this is not an operations question; this is a policy question.

In the current environment, i.e., absent a policy statement, ICANN can
easily proceed to take up the RySG recommendation, especially for this
relatively small seed fund. I hope we all urge that ICANN do this.

However, if ICANN hesitates to take up an awareness campaign regarding the
benefits of domain names (Including how they can be used and their efficacy
as a strategic tool), then a policy statement could direct such an action.

ICANN is for two things, the allocation of domain names and IP addresses.
Who else is to inform the largely ignorant public on the utility of domain
names if not ICANN?

All of us argued about how best to introduce and govern domain name usage -
but we are all in favor of domain name uptake and the safe and stable
growth of the domain name industry. All of us show up at ICANN meetings to
talk about the best way to delegate and register names. If we and ICANN are
not for their usage - why be part of this?

Some of us were against the new gTLD program and others were not happy with
the final policy or implementation. Does that mean they want to see the
program fail? Of course not. The new gTLD program is the culmination of
many years and many thousand people-hours of work.

With tools and resources for promoting public understanding of domain names
readily available, I don’t see how ICANN (the staff or the community) can
sit idly by.  With the cash surplus in hand, as Patton said, “we are at the
right time in the right place with the right instrument,” to do something
to fortify the domain name system and industry.

During the slow process of launching new TLDs, search, apps and social
media became strong competition for domain name adoption. It is time for us
champions of domain names to use the tools at our disposal, including a
small portion of that excess application fee cash, to create public
awareness about the domain name industry that we have created.

My recommendation is that this PDP working group should form a team to
consider this issue and make a separate recommendation to the GNSO Council
in a timely manner. A separate team is justifiable because this effects the
previous as well as the next round. I also think the current PDP working
group can be more nimble as compared to the effort necessary to start a new
policy discussion.

That recommendation could simply be a statement that it *is * the role of
ICANN to promote awareness of domain names and the benefits of competition
and choice in the domain name industry.

We can show that we can act.

Kurt


________________
Kurt Pritz
kurt at kjpritz.com
+1.310.400.4184 <(310)%20400-4184>
Skype: kjpritz





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