.author
| Status: | Proposed |
| Manager: | Amazon |
| Registry Provider: | Neustar |
| Type: | Generic |
| Category: | Culture |
More information: 
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.author is a proposed TLD in ICANN's New gTLD Program. The applicant is Amazon.[1]
Amazon continued to come under scrutiny for its many applications for "closed generics", that is, generic terms that it plans to use in a closed system, thereby making it the only registrant for an important online market. The application for .book .author, .read, came under specific protest from Barnes and Noble, and other booksellers, which sent letters to ICANN.[2]
Registration Specifics[edit | edit source]
Excerpted from response to Question 18:
"What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space in terms of competition, differentiation or innovation?
Amazon values the opportunity to be one of the first companies to own a gTLD. A .AUTHOR registry will:
• Provide Amazon with additional controls over its technical architecture, offering a stable and secure foundation for online communication and interaction.
• Provide Amazon a further platform for innovation.
• Enable Amazon to protect its intellectual property rights.
What goals does your proposed gTLD have in terms of user experience?
Amazon intends for its new .AUTHOR gTLD to provide a unique and dedicated platform for stable and secure online communication and interaction.
Provide a complete description of the applicant’s intended registration policies in support of the goals above
Amazon’s Intellectual Property group will be responsible for the development, maintenance and enforcement of a Domain Management Policy. The Domain Management Policy will define (i) the rules associated with eligibility and domain name allocation, (ii) the license terms governing the use of a .AUTHOR domain name, and (iii) the dispute resolution policies for the .AUTHOR gTLD. Amazon will continually update the Domain Management Policy as needed to reflect Amazon’s business goals and, where appropriate, ICANN consensus policies.
Registration of a domain name in the .AUTHOR registry will be undertaken in four steps: (i) Eligibility Confirmation, (ii) Naming Convention Check, (iii) Acceptable Use Review, and (iv) Registration. All domains in the .AUTHOR registry will remain the property of Amazon.
For example, on the rules of eligibility, each applied for character string must conform to the .AUTHOR rules of eligibility. Each .AUTHOR name must:
• be at least 3 characters and no more than 63 characters long
• not contain a hyphen on the 3rd and 4th position (tagged domains)
• contain only letters (a-z), numbers (0-9) and hyphens or a combination of these
• start and end with an alphanumeric character, not a hyphen
• not match any character strings reserved by ICANN
• not match any protected country names or geographical terms
Additionally:
• Internationalized domain names (IDN) may be supported in the .AUTHOR registry at the second level.
• The .AUTHOR registry will respect third party intellectual property rights.
• .AUTHOR domains may not be delegated or assigned to third party organizations, institutions, or individuals.
• All .AUTHOR domains will carry accurate and up-to-date registration records.
Amazon’s Intellectual Property group reserves the right to revoke a license to use a .AUTHOR domain name, at any time, if any use of a .AUTHOR domain name violates the Domain Management Policy."[3]