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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>
</blockquote>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<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 class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Lanfran@Yorku.ca">Lanfran@Yorku.ca</a> Skype: slanfranco
blog: <a 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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