[Gnso-newgtld-wg-wt5] proposal for discussion to modify existing geo-category policy of when to require govt letters

Alexander Schubert alexander at schubert.berlin
Sun Sep 23 21:41:17 UTC 2018


Robin:

a gTLD doesn't "speak" at all - if then SLDs do that. The registry doesn't "speak" about connections to the city either. I have never seen a city gTLD marketing whereby the registry makes claims of "speaking for the city Government" - and how could that even be? You are making up a problem that is inexistent.

You now claim, that your proposal would leave the 2012 AGB protections for capital cities in place: That wasn't easily "readable" in the original post. Insofar some parts of my previous post are obsolete. 

Thanks,

Alexander




-----Original Message-----
From: Gnso-newgtld-wg-wt5 [mailto:gnso-newgtld-wg-wt5-bounces at icann.org] On Behalf Of Robin Gross
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2018 12:29 AM
To: Icann Gnso Newgtld Wg Wt5 <gnso-newgtld-wg-wt5 at icann.org>
Subject: Re: [Gnso-newgtld-wg-wt5] proposal for discussion to modify existing geo-category policy of when to require govt letters

Dear Kavouss,

Thank you for your questions.  I’ll try to answer below.

1.  When I say “connection to the authority”, I’m referring to the legal authority or the government of the place (geo-word).  So a TLD applicants could not misrepresent that they speak for or on behalf of the government of that place - that is the harm we are trying to present.  If TLD applicants are intending to give that impression to the public, that they speak for or on behalf of that government, then they would need to obtain the proper letter of support from the government.  This is largely the same as existing law in many countries.  Just because the words “Chicago” are used, people do not automatically assume the govt of Chicago is the speaker or authorizing whatever words come next and who can make them.

2. Yes, the proposal would have the policy for capital city names remain the same, with the letters required, regardless of intended use.

3.  The list of different geo categories comes from the ICANN Guidebook, so these are the exhaustive list  of geo-categories that currently exists in the Guidebook.  The different types of geo-categories specifically listed are: city, sub-national place, unesco region, or appearing on the “Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings”.

Thank you,
Robin

> On Sep 22, 2018, at 2:08 AM, Arasteh <kavouss.arasteh at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Dear Robin
> Tks for yr thought
> May you pls kindly describe
> 1. Connection with authorities ...,
> What connection
> 2. You are not referring to capital cities ,Pls  confirm 3.May you 
> kindly and clearly describe those different categories of geographical 
> names, from which list you did take them?Are they exhaustive or no 
> exhaustive list Regards Kavouss
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On 22 Sep 2018, at 05:04, <Jorge.Cancio at bakom.admin.ch> <Jorge.Cancio at bakom.admin.ch> wrote:
>> 
>> Dear all
>> 
>> „Intended use“ is very far from representing a compromise proposal.
>> 
>> We have had the debate on this idea for more than a year, so it is of little use and efficiency for us repeating arguments that are abundantly reflected on the record, and, as I recall, in the working document.
>> 
>> Let‘s see what the public consultation brings on these questions.
>> 
>> best regards
>> 
>> Jorge
>> 
>> ps: I‘ll be on leave some days, so excuse me if I don‘t react for a while.
>> 
>> 
>> ________________________________
>> 
>> Von: Robin Gross <robin at ipjustice.org>
>> Datum: 21. September 2018 um 23:18:39 MESZ
>> An: Icann Gnso Newgtld Wg Wt5 <gnso-newgtld-wg-wt5 at icann.org>
>> Betreff: [Gnso-newgtld-wg-wt5] proposal for discussion to modify 
>> existing geo-category policy of when to require govt letters
>> 
>> Hello,
>> 
>> In follow-up to our WT5 meeting discussion earlier this week, I wanted to provide a more precise proposal for an amendment to policy requiring a govt. letter of support / non-objection from applicants of TLDs that are geo-words other than capital city names.
>> 
>> The goal here is to target the harm to be prevented from a misrepresentation that the TLD speaks for the local authority when it isn’t the case, while also allowing for other legitimate uses of a geo-word TLD to go forward.  So it is an attempt to balance two legitimate interests in a way that can find room for preventing the bad acts, but allowing lawful TLD uses to go forward.  It is a proposal for compromise to find middle ground.
>> 
>> In short: applicants who intend to represent a connection to the authority of a non-capital city or other geo-category from the guidebook will need to provide a letter of support/non-objection as a means of verifying that connection.
>> 
>> However, if the applicant does not intend to represent a connection to the authority of the non-capital city or the other geo-categories from the guidebook, protections will be enhanced by inserting contractual requirements into the Registry Agreement that prevent the applicant from misrepresenting their connection or association to the geo-word.
>> 
>> Putting aside capital cities, we will leave them as the policy currently exists, we would ONLY require the govt. letter for the other geo-words IF the use represents a connection to the authority.  So that would apply to non-capital city names and sub-national, unesco, etc. categories where govt. letters are currently at issue.
>> 
>> More precisely worded proposal:
>> Applicants who intend to represent a connection the the authority of a city, sub-national place, unesco region, or appearing on the “Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings” list will need to provide a letter of support/non-objection.
>> 
>> However, if the applicant does not intend to represent a connection to the authority of the geographic terms listed above, protections will instead be achieved by inserting contractual requirements into the Registry Agreement that prevent the applicant from misrepresenting their connection or association to the geographic term.
>> 
>> I do invite comments, questions, and suggestions about this proposed amendment to the existing policy for geo-categories.  I don’t claim this is a perfect proposal, but discussion could possibly help lead us to a better policy that attempts to balance differing legitimate interests in a more nuanced way than what we’ve got now.
>> 
>> Thank you!
>> Robin
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