Applicants for new TLDs must answer question related to domain name parking.
Out of nowhere, domain parking appears to be under attack in the new top level domain name application process.
The latest guidebook, released yesterday, includes a section for applicants to explain:
What operating rules will you adopt to eliminate or minimize social costs (e.g., time or financial resource costs, as well as various types of consumer vulnerabilities)? What other steps will you take to minimize negative consequences/costs imposed upon consumers?
Applicants have to address four points, including:
Will you impose any constraints on parked sites, or sites that offer only advertising?
You can see this new requirement on the redline version of the new guidebook, page A-13 (large pdf).
My guess is this is in response to government requests that new TLDs prove that their benefits outweigh their costs, but please chime in if you have additional insight.
Kevin Murphy says
Since you asked 🙂
You’re right to say it’s in response to the GAC.
It’s significant that while the questions are being asked, applicants’ responses will not actually be scored. What an applicant plans to do about parking will have no impact on whether its application is approved.
It’s basically a way for ICANN to collect a bunch of claims about the costs/benefits of new TLDs that can be evaluated in future economic studies.
In many cases, it’s likey to attract a bunch of PR waffle and not much else.
IMHO
RH says
Do you think some new Gtld will make it that you cannot park any domains in their extension ?
Steve M says
Here’s the latest from the L.A.Times on the Playboy illness:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110416/ap_en_ot/us_playboy_mansion_health_probe