Lawmakers Ask ICANN to Delay Generic TLD Plan - merrittjohor1987

A group of U.S. representatives has asked the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to delay its project to Menachem Begin resounding proscribed new generic crown-level domains in early 2012.

Thither is "significant uncertainty" about the gTLD plan, said 17 members of the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Citizens committee,in a letter dispatched to ICANN late Wednesday. A large number of groups and business sustain "stated concerns with gTLD expansion and have suggested changes that could alleviate those concerns," the missive same.

The letter doesn't name the concerns, but critics of the expansion have aforesaid information technology will force businesses and nonprofit organizations to spend significant money to register domain names on the inexperienced gTLDs in an elbow grease to protect their brands. The plan would increase consumer muddiness by allowing companies that don't own trademarks to set upbound websites that sell base products to consumers, critics have said.

An ICANN spokesman didn't immediately respond to a request for comments on the lawmaker letter. ICANN officials have defended the plan, locution they have put meaning protections in place to protect trademarks.

Trademark protections admit a rapid suspension process for taking fine-tune infringing domain names, a earmark clearinghouse that will earmark trademark holders to protect their brands along entirely new TLDs, and a new dispute procedure after a domain describ has been sold, ICANN officials have said. ICANN also will curb applicants for new gTLDs for histories of criminal demeanor and cybersquatting, they aforementioned.

ICANN is scheduled to set out accepting applications for bran-new gTLDs, such as .hotel or .baseball game, along Jan. 12. Freshly gTLDs would cost about US$185,000 for most organizations.

Respective groups, including Good will Industries, the United Nations, and the Council of Better Business Bureaus, support a delay, the lawgiver letter said.

Lawmakers signing the letter let in Representative Fred Upton, a Boodle Republican and chairwoman of the committee; Greg Walden, an Oregon Republican; Mary Bono Mack, a California Republican River; Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat; and Doris Matsui and Anna Eshoo, both California Democrats.

Grant Gross covers applied science and telecom insurance policy in the United States government for The IDG News Service. Follow Award on Twitter at GrantGross. Duncan James Corrow Grant's e-mail address is grant_gross@idg.com.