ICANN Shouldn’t Regulate Morality
Friday, March 6th, 2009
ICANN should strike moral objections from new TLD process.
The new top level domain process includes a mechanism for TLD applications to be rejected on morality and public order grounds. This should be eliminated.
ICANN doesn’t exist to determine what is and isn’t moral. In fact, I suspect it would rather not deal with the issue of morality and public order, but some of its international constituents want it to.
So what’s an objection based on morality or public order?
The applied-for gTLD string is contrary to generally accepted legal norms of morality and public order that are recognized under international principles of law.
That’s clear as mud. Thankfully there’s some clarification later in the draft about types of morality and public order issues: inciting violence, racism, abuse, etc.
But these aren’t regulated at the second level, and shouldn’t be regulated at the top level, either.
This issue is still under scrutiny, but the latest guidebook states:
The current thought, on which ICANN invites further public comment, is to develop a mechanism by which those objecting on the ground of morality and public order must show a legitimate interest and harm or potential harm resulting from the applied-for gTLD string. As in other objection proceedings, such a mechanism likely will lead to a two-phased process for the dispute resolution panels wherein first they would assess standing, and if that is satisfied, the panel would then consider the merits of the objection.
ICANN should scrap this gray area and stick to its technical goals. It just invites other claims, such as the Pope wanting to keep religion out of the namespace. Doing so would be a double standard.
While it’s at it, it should also eliminate the community base objection process (more on that in another post).
Related posts:
Again….they guiding the process so that they can do WHATEVER they want in the future.
The Department of Justice or the Department of Commerce really needs to step in at this point and take back control.
ICANN are power hungry and they keep proving it over again.
They should be in jail.
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Wow! They aren’t just making a few big changes, they are really going nuts here. At this point I say let them go crazy. They still have the world to answer to. ICANN isn’t going to last too long as it is if they keep this stuff up. Something’s gonna give. If not the Dept of Justice, the people will.
Realisitcally, bottom line governments can get away with ridiculous things because they have military power backing them (its hard to argue with the guy with the big bun pointed at you). ICANN does not. Looks like ICANN may be bringing its own doom upon itself.
Not sure how its going to happen but, Good luck ICANN.
Although sometimes domainers need a solid dose of reality, it looks like ICANN could benefit from the same.
maybe “someone” is stepping down because he sees alot of headaches coming…
“ICANN Shouldn’t Regulate Morality” http://tinyurl.com/74erht
[...] my comments to ICANN. These comments generally summarize articles on Domain Name Wire, including ICANN Shouldn’t Regulate Morality and Community and Geo Rules Should be Nixed from New [...]