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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Thanks Jeff,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>That’s helpful input and background to any discussion we may have.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>It seems to me that the key question then becomes what, if anything, could or should the Council do to take this further?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>We have written to express a concern that the work currently being undertaken is potentially not consistent with the relevant GNSO policy (attached as a reminder).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>On the back of to be determined output from the Policy & Implementation WG, we may handle similar policy output differently in future e.g. by specifying more detail on implementing GNSO policy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>But, the work of the P&I WG is only just beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Therefore, the question for us is what can we do now, or have we made a sufficient point already?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>What would be very helpful context for such a discussion, is to know if ICANN has any intention of modifying or developing how they are handling this already? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>So, the question/s for Christine should almost certainly include the following:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='color:#1F497D'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>1.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='color:#1F497D'>Does ICANN agree that there is an inconsistency with the output of work on string similarity and the relevant GNSO policy <br>AND, in any event,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='color:#1F497D'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>2.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='color:#1F497D'>Does ICANN have any intention of modifying or developing how they are handling string similarity decisions?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Jonathan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Neuman, Jeff [mailto:Jeff.Neuman@neustar.us] <br><b>Sent:</b> 07 October 2013 21:23<br><b>To:</b> GNSO Council (council@gnso.icann.org)<br><b>Subject:</b> [council] Personal Thoughts on String Similarity<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>All,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>In preparation for our Council call this week where the topic of String Similarity will be discussed, I wanted to provide these comments which are my own and not necessarily the views of the Registries Stakeholder Group.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='color:black'>Like many in the ICANN community, I have expressed some frustration about inconsistent application of ICANN’s standard for new gTLD objections based on claims that an applied for string is “confusingly similar” to another proposed gTLD or to an existing TLD. This led me to ask Christine Willett during the last ICANN Webinar Update how the ICANN staff intended to proceed in such cases.</span><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='color:black'>I want to be clear, however, that “consistent” application of the confusingly similar standard DOES NOT require the “same” outcome for all applications for the exact match for a particular string. If that were the case, then the dispute resolution panels would be required to evaluate the likelihood of confusion <i>without regard</i> to each applicant’s unique plan for a gTLD string and their arguments articulating why such plans would not cause confusion. That would be a huge mistake. In fact, the proposed use of a new gTLD is highly relevant to the question of whether or not there is a likelihood of confusion. Indeed, it is to be expected that expert panels might reasonably conclude, as has apparently happened, that the string “.cam” is confusingly similar to “.com” in one case but not in another. As lawyers for United TLD argued in that case (in a publicly accessible letter), “Consolidation has the potential to prejudice the Applicants if all Applicants’ arguments are evaluated collectively, without regard to each Applicant’s unique plan for the .cam gTLD and their arguments why such plans would not cause confusion.” </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='color:black'>In fact, the complained-of inconsistency in other cases appears to arise from the panel’s failure to actually take account of the context in which a proposed gTLD would operate. Examples include translation cases where the different markets were likely not considered.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>My point is that <span style='color:#1F497D'>t</span><span style='color:black'>he community and applicant pool each have legitimate interests in the consistent application of ICANN’s standard for determining whether or not two strings “confusingly similar.” Those interests do not, however, justify further delay or re-opening cases where context supports a finding of confusing similarity in one case but not another.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:6.0pt;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Jeffrey J. Neuman<span style='color:#3366FF'> <br></span><span style='color:#068658'>Neustar, Inc. / Vice President, Business Affairs</span></span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7D7D7D'><br>46000 Center Oak Plaza, Sterling, VA 20166</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:gray'><br></span><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#068658'>Office:</span></b><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'> </span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7D7D7D'>+1.571.434.5772</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#000066'> </span><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#068658'>Mobile: </span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7D7D7D'>+1.202.549.5079</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:gray'> </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#000066'> </span><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#068658'>Fax: </span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#7D7D7D'>+1.703.738.7965</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:gray'> </span><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#068658'>/</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#3366FF'> </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#068658'><a href="mailto:jeff.neuman@neustar.biz"><span style='color:#068658'>jeff.neuman@neustar.biz</span></a> </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:gray'> </span><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#068658'>/</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#3366FF'> </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#068658'><a href="http://www.neustar.biz/"><span style='color:#068658'>www.neustar.biz</span></a></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:gray'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>