.hiv

Status:	Delegated
Manager:	Uniregistry
Category:	Health
More information:

.hiv is a new generic top-level domain (gTLD) delegated to the Root Zone in ICANN's New gTLD Program for spreading awareness, raising funds, and joining in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The registry is run by Uniregistry.

The applicant and original Registry Operator was DotHIV gemeinnütziger e.V., but the TLD was put up for auction in April 2015. The auction failed to meet reserve and In September 2015, Uniregistry agreed to take over the gTLD and continue to run it under it's same business model, at least at the beginning.

Background

The Registry submitted a Public Interest Commitment stating that "dotHIV as a social enterprise is driven by its sole mission to support the global HIV response. Therefore we will reinvest all excess profits in projects serving this mission."

DotHIV's main goal is for every major website to create an additional .hiv version that would forward to the standard domain (e.g. Google could run google.hiv alongside google.com), with every click on a .hiv domain resulting in a micro-donation to organizations fighting HIV and AIDS, financed trough the accumulated registration fees. Users could chose whether to visit the standard web address or the .hiv address.

A movie explaining the main concept in 111 seconds can be found here: Movie.

Application Process

European Commission Communiqué

The European Commission flagged the application for .hiv outside of ICANN's defined remediation processes.

Just after ICANN's GAC issued its Early Warnings, which are advice given from one GAC member country to an applicant warning it of potential issues within its application, the European Commission issued a letter to all applicants within the new gTLD program. The letter highlights 58 applications that "could raise issues of compatibility with the existing legislation .. and/or with policy positions and objectives of the European Union." It notes a desire to open a dialogue with each offending applicant.

The Commission specifically notes that this objection is not a part of the GAC Early Warning process, and goes on to note that "the Commission does not consider itself legally bound to [ICANN] processes," given that there is not legal agreement between the two bodies.

Contract Signed

On 13 March 2014 DotHIV gemeinnütziger e.V. received a Registry Agreement signed by ICANN for .hiv after passing all the required processes needed to become a Registry Operator for the string.

Delegation and Availability

.hiv was delegated to the Root Zone of the DNS on 31 May 2014, completing the successful application for the string.

External Links

• News about dotHIV
• Kempertrautmann
• betterplace.org

Top-Level Domain

Governmental Advisory Committee. Considers and provides advice on the activities of ICANN as they relate to concerns of governments, particularly matters where there may be an interaction between ICANN's policies and various laws and international agreements or where they may affect public policy issues (ICANN Bylaws).