Changes

==Background==

==Background==

In 1992, [[Network Solutions]] (NSI) received a five-year contract from the [[National Science Foundation]] (NSF) to manage domain name registration and to handle the coordination and maintenance functions of the Domain Name System. Under the NSF Cooperative Agreement, NSI was to handle all these responsibilities on a "cost-plus-fee" basis wherein NSF will reimburse all the expenses of NSI plus a fixed fee. In 1996, Network Solutions started restrictions on domain name registrations, which led to the emergence of [[cybersquatting|cybersquatters]], who essentially hold trademarked domain names hostage. Trademark Infringement became a major concern among legitimate owners. NSI also started to charge $50 registration fee for domain names every year. In the middle part of 1996, [[Jon Postel]] proposed changes to DNS management, which included the creation of 50 competing domain name [[Registry|registries]] to handle domain name registration thus, creating 150 new [[TLD]]s. The Internet community's reaction to Postel's proposal was mixed. Some supported it while others, particularly the technical community, criticized it. The proposal was revised and re-issued, and was subsequently supported by the [[Internet Society]]. Further discussions and revisions were initiated to implement changes in DNS management but the Internet community were not able to reach a common consensus. The Internet Society and [[IANA]] organized the [[Internet Ad Hoc Committee]] to resolve the issue. The IAHC was composed of members of the [[World Intellectual Property Organization]] (WIPO), the [[International Telecommunications Union]] (ITU]), and the [[Federal Networking Council]] (FNC); the group created the gTLD-MoU.<ref>[http://www.cybertelecom.org/dns/history.htm#thomas History of DNS]</ref>

In 1992, [[Network Solutions]] (NSI) received a five-year contract from the [[National Science Foundation]] (NSF) to manage domain name registration and to handle the coordination and maintenance functions of the Domain Name System. Under the NSF Cooperative Agreement, NSI was to handle all these responsibilities on a "cost-plus-fee" basis wherein NSF will reimburse all the expenses of NSI plus a fixed fee. In 1996, Network Solutions started restrictions on domain name registrations, which led to the emergence of [[cybersquatting|cybersquatters]], who essentially hold trademarked domain names hostage. Trademark Infringement became a major concern among legitimate owners. NSI also started to charge $50 registration fee for domain names every year. In the middle part of 1996, [[Jon Postel]] proposed changes to DNS management, which included the creation of 50 competing domain name [[Registry|registries]] to handle domain name registration thus, creating 150 new [[TLD]]s. The Internet community's reaction to Postel's proposal was mixed. Some supported it while others, particularly the technical community, criticized it. The proposal was revised and re-issued, and was subsequently supported by the [[Internet Society]]. Further discussions and revisions were initiated to implement changes in DNS management but the Internet community were not able to reach a common consensus. The Internet Society and [[IANA]] organized the [[Internet Ad Hoc Committee]] to resolve the issue. The IAHC was composed of members of the [[World Intellectual Property Organization]] (WIPO), the [[International Telecommunications Union]] (ITU), and the [[Federal Networking Council]] (FNC); the group created the gTLD-MoU.<ref>[http://www.cybertelecom.org/dns/history.htm#thomas History of DNS]</ref>

==gTLD-MoU Self-Regulatory Framework==

==gTLD-MoU Self-Regulatory Framework==