Changes

A number of high profile opponents came out against ICANN and its new gTLD program. These include: [[Association of National Advertisers]] (ANA), the [[Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse]] (CADNA), the [[Coalition for Responsible Internet Domain Oversight]] (CRIDO), the National Retail Federation,<ref>[http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/icann-facing-growing-pressure-over-new-domain-name-plan-20111025 ICANN Facing Growing Pressure Over New Domain Name Plan, NationalJournal.com]]</ref>, and others. Major corporations involved with these organizations include: adidas, Dell, Toyota, Wal-Mart, Kraft Foods, and other prominent American and internationally known brands.<ref>[http://www.ana.net/content/show/id/22399 ANA.net]</ref> ICANN's new gTLD program also recieved negative Op-Eds by the editorial boards of the New York Times and Washington Post.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/26/opinion/expanding-internet-domains.html?_r=3&ref=internetcorpforassignednamesandnumbers Exapnding Internet Domains, NYTimes.com]</ref><ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/whats-the-rush/2011/12/09/gIQA5Ms9nO_story.html What's the .rush, WashingtonPost.com]</ref> ICANN was also the subject of the hearings within the [[U.S. Congress]], detailed below, and they consequently received letters from Senators and Congressmen asking them to delay or reevaluate their program, other government criticism included a petition for delay by the [[FTC]].<ref>[http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/12/icann.shtm ICANN, FTC.gov]</ref> Many of these critics were not explicitly anti-ICANN, but anti-new gTLDs. The most common complaint was coming from trademark owners and their lobbying groups, which believed that the new program would create significant costs for them without adding any value to their marketing and commercial outreach programs. However, some saw this as a result of miseducation given that many trademark protections are built into the new gTLD program. Other concerns, such as that as former ICANN Chair, [[Esther Dyson]], were focused on the potential confusion for the end-user.<ref>[http://commerce.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=c81ce454-f519-4373-a51d-234c61755e39 Testimony of Esther Dyson, Commerce.Senate.gov]</ref>

A number of high profile opponents came out against ICANN and its new gTLD program. These include: [[Association of National Advertisers]] (ANA), the [[Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse]] (CADNA), the [[Coalition for Responsible Internet Domain Oversight]] (CRIDO), the National Retail Federation,<ref>[http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/icann-facing-growing-pressure-over-new-domain-name-plan-20111025 ICANN Facing Growing Pressure Over New Domain Name Plan, NationalJournal.com]]</ref>, and others. Major corporations involved with these organizations include: adidas, Dell, Toyota, Wal-Mart, Kraft Foods, and other prominent American and internationally known brands.<ref>[http://www.ana.net/content/show/id/22399 ANA.net]</ref> ICANN's new gTLD program also recieved negative Op-Eds by the editorial boards of the New York Times and Washington Post.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/26/opinion/expanding-internet-domains.html?_r=3&ref=internetcorpforassignednamesandnumbers Exapnding Internet Domains, NYTimes.com]</ref><ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/whats-the-rush/2011/12/09/gIQA5Ms9nO_story.html What's the .rush, WashingtonPost.com]</ref> ICANN was also the subject of the hearings within the [[U.S. Congress]], detailed below, and they consequently received letters from Senators and Congressmen asking them to delay or reevaluate their program, other government criticism included a petition for delay by the [[FTC]].<ref>[http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/12/icann.shtm ICANN, FTC.gov]</ref> Many of these critics were not explicitly anti-ICANN, but anti-new gTLDs. The most common complaint was coming from trademark owners and their lobbying groups, which believed that the new program would create significant costs for them without adding any value to their marketing and commercial outreach programs. However, some saw this as a result of miseducation given that many trademark protections are built into the new gTLD program. Other concerns, such as that as former ICANN Chair, [[Esther Dyson]], were focused on the potential confusion for the end-user.<ref>[http://commerce.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=c81ce454-f519-4373-a51d-234c61755e39 Testimony of Esther Dyson, Commerce.Senate.gov]</ref>

====New gTLD Senate and House of Representatives Hearings====

===New gTLD Senate and House of Representatives Hearings===

On December 8, [[U.S. Congress|the U.S. Senate]] Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing, lobbied for by [[ANA]], regarding to ICANN's new gTLD program. Speakers included Senior Vice President of ICANN, [[Kurt Pritz]]; [[Fiona Alexander]], Associate Administrator of the Office of International Affairs at [[NTIA]]; [[Dan Jaffe]], Executive Vice President of Government Relations for ANA; [[Esther Dyson]], who served as ICANN's Founding Chairman (1998-2000), speaking as an independent investor; and Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the YMCA [[Angela Williams]], speaking on behalf of [[NPOC]].<ref>[http://www.circleid.com/posts/20111208_us_senate_committee_holds_hearing_on_icanns_new_tld_expansion/  US Senate Committee Holds Hearing on ICANN's New TLD Expansion, circleid.com]</ref> Senate officials present included: Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV); Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn), Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.),<ref>[http://adage.com/article/digital/senate-implores-icann-slow-roll/231478/ Senate Implores ICANN to Slow Its Roll but Admits It Can't Do Anything to Stop It, adage.com]</ref> and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash).

On December 8, [[U.S. Congress|the U.S. Senate]] Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing, lobbied for by [[ANA]], regarding to ICANN's new gTLD program. Speakers included Senior Vice President of ICANN, [[Kurt Pritz]]; [[Fiona Alexander]], Associate Administrator of the Office of International Affairs at [[NTIA]]; [[Dan Jaffe]], Executive Vice President of Government Relations for ANA; [[Esther Dyson]], who served as ICANN's Founding Chairman (1998-2000), speaking as an independent investor; and Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the YMCA [[Angela Williams]], speaking on behalf of [[NPOC]].<ref>[http://www.circleid.com/posts/20111208_us_senate_committee_holds_hearing_on_icanns_new_tld_expansion/  US Senate Committee Holds Hearing on ICANN's New TLD Expansion, circleid.com]</ref> Senate officials present included: Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV); Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn), Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.),<ref>[http://adage.com/article/digital/senate-implores-icann-slow-roll/231478/ Senate Implores ICANN to Slow Its Roll but Admits It Can't Do Anything to Stop It, adage.com]</ref> and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash).