.faith

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Status:	Delegated
Registry Provider:	Neustar
Date Implemented:	26 March 2015
Type:	Generic
Category:	Lifestyle
Priority #:	1270 - Famous Four Media (dot Faith Limited)

.faith is a delegated TLD in ICANN's New gTLD Program. Famous Four Media (dot Faith Limited) manages the TLD and is its Registry. The proposed application succeeded and was delegated to the Root Zone on 26 March, 2015..

Application Details

The following is excerpted from the applicant's response to question #18:

"Why .faith? The power of religious faith throughout history of every civilisation needs little introduction or emphasis. Further, there is no doubt that the internet has the potential to facilitate the dissemination of advice, information and services that aid people in understanding and developing their faith.

Since its inception the internet has revolutionised the way people communicate, share, do business and learn. However, access to the countless benefits and opportunities which the internet offers can often be hindered when navigating the ever-expanding sea of irrelevant and sometimes malicious content which also exists, and this is as true of sites dedicated to faith as any other.

Thus, the aim of ‘.faith’ is to create a blank canvas for online religious communities within a secure environment. The Applicant will achieve this by creating a consolidated, versatile and dedicated space for users interested in any faith. As the new space is dedicated to those within this affinity group the Applicant will ensure that user trust is promoted. Consequently users’ choice will be augmented as there will be a ready marketplace specifically for religiously focused enterprises to provide their goods and services. All stakeholders within the sector will be able to sample reactions to new ideas, or gather thoughts on the improvements of established ones. This will drive innovation within the sector as there will be new channels available not yet fulfilled by current market offerings. This new environment will cause registrants to seek new and varied ways to separate themselves from the competition.

How will .faith take shape? The Applicant believes that the success of the gTLD will be determined largely by the sector’s key global stakeholders. These stakeholders will be interested in registering a domain and additionally be motivated to protect their sector from detrimental practices. The Applicant believes that stakeholders should have the opportunity to influence the gTLD and the way it is governed. Accordingly, the Applicant is establishing a Governance Council (“GC”), consisting of key stakeholders that will serve as an advisory body.

Why Applicant? The Applicant has substantial combined experience amongst its team in managing global businesses from a financial, legal and operational perspective and an exceptionally strong financial position. The Applicant’s Team has previous experience with the entire gTLD life-cycle significantly lowering any launch and ongoing operational risks associated with this application. The Applicant has engaged a world-class Registry services provider to manage the technical infrastructure of the .faith gTLD. The Applicant is further advised by the leading sector experts in all other areas required to ensure a responsible and successful launch and ongoing management of the gTLD to the benefit of all stakeholders in the ICANN community.

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The purpose and goal of the Applicant’s policies are to ensure competition, fairness, trust and reliability for Registrars, Registrants, the user community, and other stake holders, while maintaining security and stability for the gTLD.

General Policy

Aside from certain start-up mechanisms, all domain names will generally be registered on a first-come, first-served basis. A Trademark Claims service will be offered for the first 90 days of general registration, with the intent of providing clear notice to potential Registrants of the existing rights of trademark owners with registered trademarks in the Trademark Clearinghouse."