[CPWG] [GTLD-WG] Geographical Names and ISO 4217 alpha3 currency codes - CPWG discussion papers for Marrakech.

[Jonathan Zuck]

Agree with this in principle. We shouldn't take any stand without a specific end user interests. Is there one here?

Jonathan Zuck
Executive Director
Innovators Network Foundation
www.Innovatorsnetwork.org<http://www.Innovatorsnetwork.org>

________________________________
From: GTLD-WG <gtld-wg-bounces at atlarge-lists.icann.org> on behalf of Evan Leibovitch <evan at telly.org>
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2019 2:18:21 AM
To: mail at christopherwilkinson.eu CW
Cc: CPWG; justine.chew.icann at gmail.com
Subject: Re: [GTLD-WG] [CPWG] Geographical Names and ISO 4217 alpha3 currency codes - CPWG discussion papers for Marrakech.

Hi all.

TL;DR: I don't care about currency codes in domains, and neither should ALAC.

Much as I appreciate the work Christopher has put into this issue, I am drawn to ask "why should end-users care at all if currency codes are protected or not?"

I mean this in all seriousness. Over the years ALAC has fought many battles about what domains are protected and which are not, but very few of these battles have had a legitimate end-user-interest component. I am proud to have been part of a PDP that helped protect Red Cross names because abuse of those names can clearly lead to fraud and even lost lives. In the same meetings I argued against spurious attempt of the International Olympic Committee to claim similar privilege.

Going forward I suggest that At-Large, as an activity to sustain its relevance on the ecosystem and reduce volunteer burnout, triage incoming issues so to concentrate FULLY on ramifications of ICANN actions to end-users, and not those of other constituencies already represented within ICANN. Registrants are already well represented through other vectors and perfectly capable of speaking in favour of their own interests, which do not always match those of end users. What value to se add by piling onto that? What does it do for us?

The fight over whether "USD", EUR" "JPY" etc ought to be protected is, in my mind, a fight between the domain industry and others who perceive of something to protect. Do they have a point or not? Convince me why I should care. I fail to see any end-user implications from whether the codes are banned, reserved, left as a free-for-all or ignored.

I take issue with Christopher's assertion, backed up by nothing concrete of which I am aware, that a Registry provides a public service. The public is neither a market for its services nor a source of its accountability. The public may be impacted by applicant and registry interactions with ICANN, registrars and registrants but I have yet to see how -- in the case of currency codes -- there is a public interest either for or against them being used in domains. IMO such codes are not particularly interesting, unique or unambiguous -- for instance, the code for the Canadian Dollar is, in geek circles, more known as the acronym for Content Delivery Networks as a currency. And "EUR" is as often used as an abbreviation for Europe as for Euro. Opportunity for misuse is  no more than for any other TLD.

In all, while I'm sure that some in ICANN's vested interests find this topic wildly impactful, I remain unconvinced that end users give any care at all towards it (and thus that ICANN should waste any cycles on it). And perhaps, in this age of increase scrutiny, ALAC should concentrate on those areas actually mandated in its bylaws -- the ones directly impacting end users -- and stop taking sides in battles between factions and on issues in which we have no demonstrated interest.

Chris' papers may be quite complete -- maybe even compelling -- in the debate between those who care about whether or not currency codes should be reserved. I have yet to be convinced that end users should care either way -- THAT argument exists nowhere in the documentation.

Cheers,
Evan


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