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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">+1 to Milton. I remember the old days
when there was no way in a domain name to criticize a trademark
owner without losing your domain name. Newspapers could criticize
and critique large companies for practices they did not like even
in headlines (such as abuse of migrant workers); Saturday Night
Live (a popular US TV show) could parody; but not in domain names.<br>
<br>
For years we posited a ".SUCKS" domain name where you could
register a trademark and make it very clear that the domain name
was going to be used for legal expression - to criticize, critique
and parody. I remember talking about how much I wanted it years
ago - long before the New gTLD program. How it would make life
clearer online and provide clear protections for speakers. <br>
<br>
$2500 is a lot of money, but not out of line with what is being
asked by other New gTLD Registries. I heard that one new registry
is demanding the absurd price of $30,000 for its "landrush" domain
names -- and that's truly extortion. But $2500 while high is
ballpark - that chance to pull your (your company's) trademark out
of .SUCKS and not be part of the free speech and discussion to
come. <br>
<br>
Best,<br>
Kathy<br>
<br>
:<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">I’m
on .sucks side on this one.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">In
effect, the .sucks domain seems to be engaged in a
legitimate form of price discrimination between brand owners
who want to suppress critical expression about their brands
and people who actually want to use the domain for its
intended purpose.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Extortion
means that one is threatened with violence or some other
form of illegal harm if one doesn’t pay up. The idea that
paying a high fee to preempt the mere possibility that
someone might register and use a critical domain such as
brand.sucks is not extortion.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">--MM<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
name="_MailEndCompose"><span
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">
NCSG-Discuss [<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU">mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Rafik Dammak<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, March 27, 2015 6:09 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU">NCSG-DISCUSS@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [NCSG-Discuss] [Info] IPC Letter to
ICANN regarding .SUCKS<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> +1 <br>
</o:p></p>
<p>Hi everyone<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Please find attached the letter sent by IPC to ICANN about
.sucks .<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Best Regards.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Rafik <o:p></o:p></p>
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