.degree

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Status:	Delegated
Registry Provider:	Demand Media
Type:	Generic
Category:	Education
PIC Submitted:	Download Here

.degree is a gTLD that was proposed in ICANN's New gTLD Program. The applicant was Donuts (Puff House, LLC), but ownership of the TLD was later transferred to Rightside (United TLD Holdco, Ltd.). The application succeeded and the string delegated to the Root Zone on 30 May 2014, making Rightside the Registry Operator of the string.

Background

GAC Early Warning

The application was issued a GAC Early Warning from the representative of Australia and GAC Chair, Heather Dryden. The warning system is noted as a strong recommendation on behalf of national governments to the ICANN Board that a given TLD application should be denied as it stands. Applicants are encouraged to work with objecting GAC members. The warning notes that Donuts has not detailed sufficient protective measures to protect from consumer harm in what is a regulated market.

Application Details

Many of Donuts' applications, including this one, seem to have been applied for using the same boiler-plate application in which the TLD is defined as a means of providing greater expression on the Internet and will be an open TLD without pre-registration policies. It notes its plans to adhere with all registration policies required by ICANN and its intent to have remediation and takedown policies clearly defined to fit within these requirements. Pre-registration verification will not be used and this as defined as causing "more harm than benefit by denying domain access to legitimate registrants." They intend to control abuse through "extensive user and rights protections."

Ownership Transfer to Rightside

Donuts applied for .degree through Puff House, LLC which is a subsidiary of Covered TLD, LLC. Donuts used Covered TLD to apply for 107 of its 307 New gTLD applications, and it is believed that Rightside (through subsidiary United TLD Holdco) has the option to gain an ownership stake in the TLD applications under Covered TLD. Thus there are a number of the 107 TLDs under Covered TLD in which ownership was transferred from Donuts to Rightside.

Contract Signed

On 6 March 2014 Donuts received a Registry Agreement signed by ICANN for .degree after passing all the required processes needed to become a Registry Operator for the string. On 7 March Donuts assigned the Registry Agreement to Rightside (United TLD Holdco, Ltd.).

Delegation and Availability

.degree was delegated to the Root Zone of the DNS on 30 May, 2014, completing the successful application for the string.