Rec 2: SAC090 - CLOSED

SSAC Advisory on the Stability of the Domain Namespace (R-2)

Description:

The SSAC recommends that the scope of the work presented in Recommendation 1 include at least the following issues and questions:

1) In the Applicant Guidebook for the most recent round of new generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) applications, ICANN cited or created several lists of strings that could not be applied-for new gTLD names, such as the “reserved names” listed in Section 2.2.1.2.1, the “ineligible strings” listed in Section 2.2.1.2.3, the two-character ISO 3166 codes proscribed by reference in Section 2.2.1.3.2 Part III, and the geographic names proscribed by reference in Section 2.2.1.4. More recently, the IETF has placed a small number of potential gTLD strings into a Special-Use Domain Names Registry. As described in RFC 6761, a string that is placed into this registry is expected to be processed in a defined “special” way that is different from the normal process of DNS resolution. Should ICANN formalize in policy the status of the names on these lists? If so:

     i) How should ICANN respond to changes that other parties may make to lists that are recognized by ICANN but are outside the scope of ICANN’s direct influence?
     ii) How should ICANN respond to a change in a recognized list that occurs during a round of new gTLD applications?

2) The IETF is an example of a group outside of ICANN that maintains a list of “special use” names. What should ICANN’s response be to groups outside of ICANN that assert standing for their list of special names?

3) Some names that are not on any formal list are regularly presented to the global DNS for resolution as TLDs. These so-called “private use” names are independently selected by individuals and organizations that intend for them to be resolved only within a defined private context. As such they are harmlessly discarded by the global DNS—until they collide with a delegated use of the same name as a new ICANN-recognized gTLD. Should ICANN formalize in policy the status of “private use” names? If so:

     i) How should ICANN deal with private use names such as .corp, .home, and .mail that already are known to collide on a large scale with formal applications for the same names as new ICANN-recognized gTLDs?
     ii) How should ICANN discover and respond to future collisions between private use names and proposed new ICANN-recognized gTLDs?

STATUS UPDATES