While a lot has been talked about the role of ICANN itself, read more on the public hearing about lack of transparency and accountability, ICANN is yet to give the final report after comment period ended on July 6th 2009.
If you are wondering what URS (Uniform Rapid Suspension) is - ICANN, the organization that sets the guidelines for arbitration panels to follow in reaching their decisions, governs the issuance of domain names ending in .com and .net, for example, and has recently proposed a new plan called the Uniform Rapid Suspension System Policy (URS) that could give trademark holders the ability to file a simple form complaint for only $200. By filing the URS complaint it automatically freezes the domain name in dispute before the domainer ever has a chance to respond to the complaint and before a decision is ever rendered.
Although the URS on its face only applies to the new gTLD’s, comments made by representatives of ICANN clearly indicate that they will in fact apply to all existing extensions (.com. .net. &.org) meaning all the domains you own sooner than later.
Background information and links to the final Report can be found by clicking here.
While this is such an important decision regarding domains that you may own, and affects every domain owner on the planet, ICANN decided to play it down and instead of sending email to every admin contact for registered domains, it has rather demonstrated the lack of transparency by just publishing the information on its website only. Did you receive any email informing you that IRT may decide the fate of your domains - and you should participate. Of course with ICANN the term democracy doesn't apply, and it is playing in the hands of business parties with vested interest. Clearly evident from the fact that no member of IRT was from domain investment background and thus couldn't have a balanced view about the whole process.
Would you as a domainer be happy if someone could stop your running website by simply paying a paltry $1.5 (for mass filing - you get a discount from ICANN) in a one sided arbitrary fashion and you are left to defend the ownership of domain. All along your domains and your website would remain locked and frozen!
Internet Commerce Association (ICA) is taking up the issue on behalf of domainers and suggest you visit the site to learn more about their activity.
I hope some good sense prevails over ICANN and they think 'Logically' and with right approach before passing the judgement. This may as well be the turning point that would force domain owners to unite and stand up against not so tranparent ICANN.
I welcome your views on this topic and incase you haven't sent comment to ICANN, please do feel free to make your opinion heard on this blog.
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