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→Witnesses Testimony
===Witnesses Testimony===
===Witnesses Testimony===
'''Angela Williams''' represented the concerns of the members of the [[NPOC|Not-for-Profit Operational Concerns Constituency]] (NPOC) during the Senate hearing. In her testimony, she raised the budgetary, public confusions and cybersquatting issues. According to her, the increased risk of public confusions compromise the internet security and it would be more expensive for entities particularly not-for-profit organizations to protect their brand names/trademarks against fraud, [[cybersquatting]] and trademark infringement. She also pointed out that not-for-profit-organizations cannot afford the amount of money needed to become a domain name registry to ensure brand protection. Williams encouraged ICANN to consider the concerns of the members of the NPOC. She also recommended that verified not-for-profit organizations be allowed to exempt their their trademarks from any other applicant in the new gTLD Program at no cost or drastically reduced fee, eliminate or drastically reduce the costs of the new gTLD program for verified not-for-profit organizations and to strengthen the mechanisms for trademark protection.<ref>[http://commerce.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=56a49ede-865f-4bbe-9635-58d0b59add7b Testimony of Angela F. Williams, Senate Hearing, Dec. 8, 2012]</ref>
'''[[Angela Williams]]''' represented the concerns of the members of the [[NPOC|Not-for-Profit Operational Concerns Constituency]] (NPOC) during the Senate hearing. In her testimony, she raised the budgetary, public confusions and cybersquatting issues. According to her, the increased risk of public confusions compromise the internet security and it would be more expensive for entities particularly not-for-profit organizations to protect their brand names/trademarks against fraud, [[cybersquatting]] and trademark infringement. She also pointed out that not-for-profit-organizations cannot afford the amount of money needed to become a domain name registry to ensure brand protection. Williams encouraged ICANN to consider the concerns of the members of the NPOC. She also recommended that verified not-for-profit organizations be allowed to exempt their their trademarks from any other applicant in the new gTLD Program at no cost or drastically reduced fee, eliminate or drastically reduce the costs of the new gTLD program for verified not-for-profit organizations and to strengthen the mechanisms for trademark protection.<ref>[http://commerce.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=56a49ede-865f-4bbe-9635-58d0b59add7b Testimony of Angela F. Williams, Senate Hearing, Dec. 8, 2012]</ref>
During the hearing, '''Dan Jaffe''' testified that the new gTLD program is "bad for consumers, marketers and the entire online marketplace" and enumerated different reasons why it is necessary to the stop its implementation. According to him, there is no substantial evidence that the new gTLD program will promote competition, relieve the scarcity of domain name space and support differentiated services and new products. He also cited that the new gTLD program has serious economic impact. Brand owners might be compelled to file for defensive registrations to protect their trademarks or intellectual property rights. There is a possibility of misappropriation of intellectual property rights, domain navigation dilution, increased risk of cybersquatting, reduce investments from intellectual property owners and losses from failed TLDs. Jaffe supported his claims using the “Economic Considerations in the Expansion of Generic TopLevel Domain Names, Phase II Report: Case Studies,” a study commissioned by ICANN on December 2010. In addition, he also emphasized the new gTLD programs lacks consensus and ICANN failed to meet the "bottom-up, consensus driven approach to policy development." Furthermore, he pointed out that the application fee is too expensive and harmful for brand owners and he also raised the concerns regarding conflict of interest after [[Peter Dengate Thrush]] decided to join [[Minds + Machines]] as Executive Chairman immediately after his term as chairman of ICANN. Thrush strongly pushed approval of the new gTLD program.<ref>
During the hearing, '''[[Dan Jaffe]]''' testified that the new gTLD program is "bad for consumers, marketers and the entire online marketplace" and enumerated different reasons why it is necessary to the stop its implementation. According to him, there is no substantial evidence that the new gTLD program will promote competition, relieve the scarcity of domain name space and support differentiated services and new products. He also cited that the new gTLD program has serious economic impact. Brand owners might be compelled to file for defensive registrations to protect their trademarks or intellectual property rights. There is a possibility of misappropriation of intellectual property rights, domain navigation dilution, increased risk of cybersquatting, reduce investments from intellectual property owners and losses from failed TLDs. Jaffe supported his claims using the “Economic Considerations in the Expansion of Generic TopLevel Domain Names, Phase II Report: Case Studies,” a study commissioned by ICANN on December 2010. In addition, he also emphasized the new gTLD programs lacks consensus and ICANN failed to meet the "bottom-up, consensus driven approach to policy development." Furthermore, he pointed out that the application fee is too expensive and harmful for brand owners and he also raised the concerns regarding conflict of interest after [[Peter Dengate Thrush]] decided to join [[Minds + Machines]] as Executive Chairman immediately after his term as chairman of ICANN. Thrush strongly pushed approval of the new gTLD program.<ref>
[http://commerce.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=8c7e6c3b-a6b8-41a9-b59a-681dd278249f Testimony of Daniel L. Jaffe, Hearing on ICANN’s Expansion of Top Level Domains, Dec. 8, 2012]</ref>
[http://commerce.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=8c7e6c3b-a6b8-41a9-b59a-681dd278249f Testimony of Daniel L. Jaffe, Hearing on ICANN’s Expansion of Top Level Domains, Dec. 8, 2012]</ref>
'''Esther Dyson''' testified that the new gTLD program is not necessary to promote innovation. She said, ''"The rationale is that there's a shortage of domain names... but actually, there's a shortage of space in people's heads."'' She recommended for ICANN to conduct further consultation regarding the program and reach to a broader public to inform its approach regarding new TLDs. She concluded her testimony with the saying, ''"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"'' <ref>
'''[[Esther Dyson]]''' testified that the new gTLD program is not necessary to promote innovation. She said, ''"The rationale is that there's a shortage of domain names... but actually, there's a shortage of space in people's heads."'' She recommended for ICANN to conduct further consultation regarding the program and reach to a broader public to inform its approach regarding new TLDs. She concluded her testimony with the saying, ''"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"'' <ref>
[http://commerce.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=c81ce454-f519-4373-a51d-234c61755e39 Testimony of Esther Dyson, Hearing on ICANN's Expansion of Top Level Domains, Dec. 8, 2011]</ref>
[http://commerce.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=c81ce454-f519-4373-a51d-234c61755e39 Testimony of Esther Dyson, Hearing on ICANN's Expansion of Top Level Domains, Dec. 8, 2011]</ref>
As representative of the NTIA, '''Fiona Alexander''' informed the members of the Senate Committee that the agency is part of the Governmental Advisory Committee ([[GAC]]), which is actively involved in the policy development process within ICANN. She testified that the NTIA and its counterparts within GAC provided consensus advice to ICANN during the policy development process for the new gTLD program for six years.She emphasized that GAC developed a "scorecard" to address the different issues raised b governments which include:
As representative of the NTIA, '''[[Fiona Alexander]]''' informed the members of the Senate Committee that the agency is part of the Governmental Advisory Committee ([[GAC]]), which is actively involved in the policy development process within ICANN. She testified that the NTIA and its counterparts within GAC provided consensus advice to ICANN during the policy development process for the new gTLD program for six years.She emphasized that GAC developed a "scorecard" to address the different issues raised b governments which include:
* objection procedures for governments
* objection procedures for governments
* procedures for the review of sensitive strings
* procedures for the review of sensitive strings
Ms. Alexander strongly emphasized NTIA's support to ICANN's [[Multistakeholder Model|multistakeholder model]] of internet governance and it is dedicated in maintaining the global openness of the internet to promote economic growth, innovation and free flow of information, products and services online.<ref>[http://commerce.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=98c38242-c53f-438a-bb53-2d986e4bf168 Testimony of Fiona M. Alexander, Hearing on ICANN’s Expansion of Top Level Domains, Dec. 8, 2011]</ref>
Ms. Alexander strongly emphasized NTIA's support to ICANN's [[Multistakeholder Model|multistakeholder model]] of internet governance and it is dedicated in maintaining the global openness of the internet to promote economic growth, innovation and free flow of information, products and services online.<ref>[http://commerce.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=98c38242-c53f-438a-bb53-2d986e4bf168 Testimony of Fiona M. Alexander, Hearing on ICANN’s Expansion of Top Level Domains, Dec. 8, 2011]</ref>
'''Kurt Pritz''' testified to the Senate committee that the introduction of new gTLDs is one of the mandates of the internet governing body since its establishment. Pritz pointed out that the new gTLD program was developed through the multistakeholder process. The global internet stakeholders including brand and trade mark owners, domain name registries, registrars, registrants,governments, law enforcement agencies, governments, not-for-profit organizations, etc. participated in the policy development and implementation program for new gTLDs. He also emphasized the provisions in the Applicant Guidebook regarding new trademark protections such as the [[URS|Uniform Rapid Suspension]] (URS) and the [[Trademark Clearing House]], measures to mitigate malicious conduct, objection process, DNS Security ([[DNSSEC]]) and other relevant issues. He concluded his testimony by reiterating that the "ICANN community worked tirelessly to create the new gTLD program to promote competition and innovation..."<ref>
'''[[Kurt Pritz]]''' testified to the Senate committee that the introduction of new gTLDs is one of the mandates of the internet governing body since its establishment. Pritz pointed out that the new gTLD program was developed through the multistakeholder process. The global internet stakeholders including brand and trade mark owners, domain name registries, registrars, registrants,governments, law enforcement agencies, governments, not-for-profit organizations, etc. participated in the policy development and implementation program for new gTLDs. He also emphasized the provisions in the Applicant Guidebook regarding new trademark protections such as the [[URS|Uniform Rapid Suspension]] (URS) and the [[Trademark Clearing House]], measures to mitigate malicious conduct, objection process, DNS Security ([[DNSSEC]]) and other relevant issues. He concluded his testimony by reiterating that the "ICANN community worked tirelessly to create the new gTLD program to promote competition and innovation..."<ref>
[http://commerce.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=456113a0-c084-43d7-a1b8-979524fd74cf Testimony of Kurt Pritz, Hearing on Expansion of Top Level Domain Names, Dec. 8, 2012]</ref> <ref>[[http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/pritz-to-boxer-cantwell-et-al-25jan12-en.pdf Sen. Barbara Boxer to Kurt Pritz, Questions for the Record,ICANN’s Expansion of Top Level Domain Names, Dec. 8, 2011 ]</ref>
[http://commerce.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=456113a0-c084-43d7-a1b8-979524fd74cf Testimony of Kurt Pritz, Hearing on Expansion of Top Level Domain Names, Dec. 8, 2012]</ref> <ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/pritz-to-boxer-cantwell-et-al-25jan12-en.pdf Sen. Barbara Boxer to Kurt Pritz, Questions for the Record,ICANN’s Expansion of Top Level Domain Names, Dec. 8, 2011 ]</ref>
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