[At-Large] ALAC Statement for the ICANN Board Request for Responses

[Danny Younger]

Dear all,

I have concerns with regard to the answer provided to
question #7 (cited below):

Q.7: Should a list of IDN ccTLD strings be mandated?

A universal mandating should not be implemented at the
initial stage. Users have the right to use IDNs rather
than a duty to do so. Neither the automatically
converting ISO 3166 into an IDN list solution is far
from being realistic: this would impose some ccTLDs
that have no demand for IDN use to implement them,
which is obviously contradictory to the purpose of
IDNs. Also, compiling a mandatory list would slow down
the IDN development process. The crucial question at
this stage is how the local community consensus can be
reached in case IDN implementation is necessary.
One solution to that is the proposal by APTLD, which
states that it is important to allow each interested
existing ccTLD to propose ONE string and provide six
months for Internet community at Large including the
‘affected’ Communities and Governments to voice
possible objections and/or comments. If no serious
reservations are aired then the string may go into the
root. However, even though a list of IDN ccTLD can be
complied through the one-string-one-ccTLD approach it
cannot be a final solution, and if made mandatory, it
will cause serious rivalry between different script
users in one ccTLD territory. Issues related to that
include: What makes one script may be chosen over
others in a multiple-script ccTLD territory? Is this
reflected in the local cultural or social
policy/strategy? How those minority script users can
protest against this and will they protest?

My comment:

Stability is my primary concern.  From a stability
perspective I see an ongoing value in an authoritative
"mandated list", and yes, I also do understand the
reticence to invoke the ISO processes (as these can
easily take 3-5 years) owing to the fear the IDN gTLDs
could be launched prior to the conclusion of the ISO
effort (and people might indeed choose to opt for a
gTLD in a local script).

To resolve this worry, I would advise the development
of a policy that prohibits the launch of IDN gTLDs
until such time as the ISO effort is complete (so that
competition may proceed thereafter on a level playing
field).

The issues raised in the latter portion of the current
answer to question 7 are precisely why an ISO
"mandated list" should be used (as the process
resolves such issues before a list becomes
authoritative).




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