Changes

==Backgound==

==Backgound==

===ANA/Brand Owners Opposition to the new gTLD Program===

===ANA/Brand Owners Opposition to the new gTLD Program===

On August 4, 2011, ANA President and CEO  [[Bob Liodice|Robert Liodice]] wrote to [[Rod Beckstrom]], President of ICANN regarding the implementation of the new generic top level domain names ([[gTLD]]s) program that was approved by the [[ICANN Board]] on June 20, 2011 . In his letter, Liodice pointed out that the 400 member companies of ANA  strongly opposed ICANN's plan to add unlimited number of TLD. The organization believed that the program does not provide benefit to the internet community but it will only cause harm and damage to brand owners and to consumers. According to him, once the program is implemented it will increase the incidence of cybersquatting and other cyber crimes. He cited that ANA conducted a research and found that the proposed TLD expansion is not supported by majority of businesses, consumers, academics including private and government agencies. Liodice, encouraged ICANN to work collaboratively with ANA to develop better solutions for the benefit of the entire community such as the systematic and one by one implementation of TLD. He reiterated that ICANN's new gTLD program is rejected by ANA and the American business industry and the internet governing body should consider the concerns raised by ANA, brand owners and other organizations. According to him if the internet governing body will push the implementation of the new gTLD program, ANA will take all measures to prevent it.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/liodice-to-beckstrom-04aug11-en.pdf Letter from Robert Liodice to Rod Beckstrom]</ref>

On August 4, 2011, ANA President and CEO  [[Bob Liodice|Robert Liodice]] wrote to [[Rod Beckstrom]], President of ICANN regarding the new generic top level domain names ([[gTLD]]s) program that was approved by the [[ICANN Board]] on June 20, 2011 . In his letter, Liodice pointed out that the 400 member companies of ANA  strongly opposed ICANN's plan to add unlimited number of TLD. The organization believed that the program does not provide benefit to the internet community but it will only cause harm and damage to brand owners and to consumers. According to him, once the program is implemented it will increase the incidence of cybersquatting and other cyber crimes. He cited that ANA conducted a research and found that the proposed TLD expansion is not supported by majority of businesses, consumers, academics including private and government agencies. Liodice, encouraged ICANN to work collaboratively with ANA to develop better solutions for the benefit of the entire community such as the systematic and one by one implementation of TLD. He reiterated that ICANN's new gTLD program is rejected by ANA and the American business industry and the internet governing body should consider the concerns raised by ANA, brand owners and other organizations. According to him if the internet governing body will push the implementation of the new gTLD program, ANA will take all measures to prevent it.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/liodice-to-beckstrom-04aug11-en.pdf Letter from Robert Liodice to Rod Beckstrom]</ref>