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Well, I'm inclined to agree then.<br>
<br>
Nicolas<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2014-10-07 4:33 PM, Sam Lanfranco
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:54344E34.1010805@yorku.ca" type="cite">
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">I will give a short response to these
Adam's comments. One of the unfortunate features of the
administration of the .nyc cityTLD is that a second level
string, in this case the MentalHealth.nyc with multiple
applicants is facing an auction process where community
applicants have fewer rights than commercial applicants using
the ICANN private auction process for gTLDs.<br>
<br>
In ICANN gTLDs with multiple qualified applicants the commercial
interests have transparency as to who the other applicants are,
and are are encouraged to collaborate among themselves. If that
fails and they resort to ICANN private auctions, the winners
compensate the losers. There should be at least a discussion
within ICANN as to whether or not a similar process should
required of registries when an initial new gTLD "landrush"
produces multiple second level applicants. In short, this New
York community health group is only asking: "What about the same
transparency and the same private auction rules that apply to
new gTLDs?".<br>
<br>
Sam L. <br>
<br>
<small>On 07/10/2014 4:10 PM, Nicolas Adam wrote:<br>
</small></div>
<blockquote cite="mid:543448B8.2020806@gmail.com" type="cite"><small>
<br>
</small>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><small>On 07/10/2014 8:05 AM, Sam
Lanfranco wrote:<br>
</small></div>
<small> </small>
<blockquote cite="mid:5433D703.6010101@yorku.ca" type="cite">
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<small> The following was written (by me) for the global
health community's Health Information for All 2015
(HIFA2015) discussion group. HIFA2015 had been a venue for
vocal criticism of ICANN's handling of the .health gTLD.
This drops down a notch to the .city TLD initiative and
discusses a problem tossed up by the creation of .nyc. While
the problem is with second level domain names, the parties
to the problem have views on what should constitute a
responsible role for ICANN here. The problem is
complicated,and won't go away. It is another area where
ICANN can be engaged and show leadership, or watch passively
as Internet DNS naming policy is developed elsewhere. - Sam
L. <br>
<br>
<b>Posting for </b><b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:HIFA2015@dgroups.org">HIFA2015@dgroups.org</a></b><br>
<br>
<font color="#330099">The global health community has been
vocal but, to date, largely unsuccessful in its struggle
over the .health generic Top Level Domain name, now in the
hands of a private-for-profit company. There is a second
problem on the horizon, and it will strike closer to home
for many organizations in the global health community. It
has to do with geographic based domain names and second
level domain names. For example, if .nairobi is a city
TLD, health.narobi could be a second level domain name,
owned by the city or a private company. This can create
multiple issues for community groups. Here is already
unfortunate current situation for community mental health
groups in New York. The application period (so called
Landrush) for second level .nyc domain names ended last
Friday October 3rd. On Saturday one community health
organization applicant received a notice from the
registrar handling its application informing it that more
than one applicant had requested the MentalHealth.nyc
domain name, and that the domain name would be sold at
auction with 60% of revenue going to the private company
managing .nyc for New York City, and 40% to the city.<br>
<br>
The problem here is that unlike the ICANN auctions there
is no transparency with regard to who the various
applicants are. As a second level domain issue ICANN has
washed it hands of such issues. In the direct ICANN
auctions the various applicants are known and can
negotiate to avoid an auction or collaborate on bidding.
None of that is possible here. The community health group
in question is advocating for transparency as a basis for
a collaborative dialogue around MentalHealth.nyc. If
another party has a superior plan this community group
would be prepared to withdraw its application. With a
blind auction nobody has an idea of who the other bidders
are. This organization is a half century old
not-for-profit serving a small section of the city.
Perhaps the others applicants do similar work. This
community group is asking for some assurance of
transparency for applicants at this second level,
wishfully here, and certainly in any new gTLD efforts. It
suggests that this should be part of an ICANN contract
language driven Informed Consent process. This also raises
an issue of what should be the role of local governments
in setting the rules of the game for handling second level
geographic TLD issues.<br>
</font></small></blockquote>
<small> <br>
I fail to see what bad may happen if a company other than the
community group bids for and obtain the mentalhealth string in
the NYC TLD. The scenarios where this would contribute to a
losse of influence for the community are not realistic. The
successful bidder will need top notch content to make it work,
and the community that does the work is that content. If a
comedic business model is envisioned, I fail to see how that
would negatively impact the community as well. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</small>
<blockquote cite="mid:5433D703.6010101@yorku.ca" type="cite"><small><font
color="#330099"> <br>
The further worry is that there is the possibility that
the MentalHealth.nyc name could be sought by a comedy
club, or maybe to market a magic health produce. While
recognizing both of these might qualify as beneficial to
mental health, the applicant argues that from a city
perspective the more traditional health use of the name
would be more appropriate. </font></small></blockquote>
<small> <br>
I agree! And i am willing to wager that the successful bidder
will also be thinking just that ;)<br>
<br>
<br>
</small>
<blockquote cite="mid:5433D703.6010101@yorku.ca" type="cite"><small><font
color="#330099">For this reason, they would like to see
the ICANN Informed Consent provisions provide for greater
transparency and multistakeholder engagement in selecting
public interest name set-asides at the the .city and
related geoTLD levels. If as a last resort an auction is
necessary, they feel that the proceeds should be retained
within the community and not siphoned off by the gTLD gate
keepers. This is how the ICANN private auctions work where
the proceeds of the auction are shared by the losing
bidders. <br>
<br>
What can global community health community people do here?
First, they can press both ICANN and their respective
national government representatives to ICANN's Government
Advisory Council (GAC) for more appropriate second level
provisions in the Informed Consent language of ICANN
contracts. Second, they can watch efforts at local .city
TLD and other geographic gTLDs in their home territories
and engage their governments and the applicants early in
the process. This will not be easy but it is just another
“rules of the game” challenge flowing from the pandora's
box of the Internet ecosystem.<br>
</font></small></blockquote>
<small> <br>
Neither easy nor necessary.<br>
<br>
<br>
</small>
<blockquote cite="mid:5433D703.6010101@yorku.ca" type="cite"><small><font
color="#330099"> <br>
Sam Lanfranco, Chair<br>
ICANN/NPOC Policy Committee </font></small><br>
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<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
------------------------------------------------
"It is a disgrace to be rich and honoured
in an unjust state" -Confucius
------------------------------------------------
Dr Sam Lanfranco (Prof Emeritus & Senior Scholar)
Econ, York U., Toronto, Ontario, CANADA - M3J 1P3
email: <a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Lanfran@Yorku.ca">Lanfran@Yorku.ca</a> Skype: slanfranco
blog: <a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://samlanfranco.blogspot.com">http://samlanfranco.blogspot.com</a>
Phone: +1 613-476-0429 cell: +1 416-816-2852</pre>
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