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→Complaints over Closed Generic TLDs
'''Amazon.com Inc.''' is a global leader in e-Commerce and the largest online retail store in the United States and in 45 other countries worldwide offering a wide range of products from books, electronics, games, home and garden, movies, music, toys and many other products.
'''Amazon.com Inc.''' is a global leader in e-Commerce and the largest online retail store in the United States and in 45 other countries worldwide offering a wide range of products from books, electronics, games, home and garden, movies, music, toys and many other products.
==ICANN & New gTLDs==
===New gTLD applications===
Amazon has applied for the following TLDs in ICANN's [[New gTLD Program]]:
[[.amazon]], [[.app]], [[.audible]], [[.author]], [[.aws]], [[.book]], [[.bot]], [[.box]], [[.buy]], [[.call]], [[.circle]], [[.cloud]], [[.coupon]], [[.deal]], [[.dev]], [[.drive]], [[.fast]], [[.fire]], [[.free]], [[.game]], [[.got]], [[.group]], [[.hot]], [[.imdb]], [[.jot]], [[.joy]], [[.kids]], [[.kindle]], [[.like]], [[.mail]], [[.map]], [[.mobile]], [[.moi]], [[.movie]], [[.music]], [[.news]], [[.now]], [[.pay]], [[.pin]], [[.play]], [[.prime]], [[.read]], [[.room]], [[.safe]], [[.save]], [[.search]], [[.secure]], [[.shop]], [[.show]], [[.silk]], [[.smile]], [[.song]], [[.spot]], [[.store]], [[.talk]], [[.tunes]], [[.tushu]], [[.video]], [[.wanggou]], [[.wow]], [[.yamaxun]], [[.you]], [[.yun]], [[.zappos]], [[.zero]], [[.亚马逊]], [[.家電]], [[.通販]], [[.食品]], [[.アマゾン]], [[.クラウド]], [[.ストア]], [[.セール]], [[.ファッション]], [[.ポイント]], [[.書籍]].<ref>[http://gtldresult.icann.org/application-result/applicationstatus/viewstatus New gTLD Current Application Status, icann.org]</ref>
In total, the company submitted 76 applications.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2012/06/21/paul-sloan-writes-for-cnet-on-amazons-76-new-gtld-applications-we-want-to-own-them-all/ Paul Sloan Writes For Cnet On Amazon’s 76 New gTLD Applications: “We Want To Own Them All”, thedomains.com]</ref>
===Complaints over Closed Generic TLDs===
In September, 2012, an influential consumer advocacy group, Consumer Watchdog, sent a letter to U.S. Sen. Rockefeller, who is the chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Sen. Rockefeller's senate subcommittee is the same that had held hearings regarding ICANN and its [[New gTLD Program|new gTLD program]] just before its launch. Consumer Watchdog is upset over both [[Google]] and Amazon's plans to acquire generic TLDs and then to restrict them only for their own use. The letter states: "If these applications are granted, large parts of the Internet would be privatized. It is one thing to own a domain associated with your brand, but it is a huge problem to take control of generic strings. Both Google and Amazon are already dominant players on the Internet. Allowing them further control by buying generic domain strings would threaten the free and open Internet that consumers rely upon. Consumer Watchdog urges you to do all that you can to thwart these outrageous efforts and ensure that the Internet continues its vibrant growth while serving the interests of all of its users." The whole letter can be seen [http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/ltrrockefeller091912.pdf here].<ref>[http://domainincite.com/10535-consumer-watchdog-slams-outrageous-google-and-amazon-keyword-gtld-bids Consumer Watchdog Slams Outrageous Google and Amazon Keyword gTLD bids, DomainIncite.com]</ref>
This letter came just a day after a similar appeal by a group of domain industry regulars was announced. [[Michele Neylon]], CEO of [[Blacknight Internet Solutions Ltd]] and a highly active member of the ICANN community, led the signatories of a letter adressing the same issue, though it does not name [[Google]] nor Amazon by name. Instead it focuses on any and all use of generic terms that are being sought after only to become closed TLDs: "generic words used in a generic way belong to all people. It is inherently in the public interest to allow access to generic new gTLDs to the whole of the Internet Community, e.g., .BLOG, .MUSIC, .CLOUD. Allowing everyone to register and use second level domain names of these powerful, generic TLDs is exactly what we envisioned the New gTLD Program would do. In contrast, to allow individual Registry Operators to segregate and close-off common words for which they do not possess intellectual property rights in effect allows them to circumvent nation-states’ entrenched legal processes for obtaining legitimate and recognized trademark protections." Other signatories include: [[Scott Pinzon]], former Director of ICANN; [[Kelly Hardy]], domain industry consultant; [[Frédéric Guillemaut]], MailClub.fr; [[Robert Birkner]], 1API GmbH; the whole letter can be seen [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZUNlookOWyaSW8lXfi_37zVFsVk9xcxncvmE0uwPEFY/edit here].
* <big>'''[[gTLD#Closed Generic Strings|More on closed gTLDs]]'''</big>
===GAC Early Warnings===
Amazon was widely recognized as one of the most warned applicants within the [[GAC]] Early Warning system. The system does not represent consensus within [[ICANN]]'s [[GAC|Governmental Advisory Committee]] (GAC), but instead lets know of one nation's viewpoint that could go on to influence the wider GAC and result in advice to the [[ICANN Board]] to not approve a given application. Amazon received 28 warnings, which represents 38% of its portfolio. The vast majority of the complaints came from the Australian [[GAC]] representative, and GAC Chair, [[Heather Dryden]], who argues repeatedly that Amazon, nor any other company, should not be given complete control over generic terms on the Internet. Amazon is known for its numerous applications for generic terms that it hopes to restrict to internal registration and its own corporate strategy, such as [[.music]], [[.blog]], etc. It was also warned by governments in South America against its application for its brand name, [[.amazon]], given that the name also represents a prominent region across multiple South American nations.<ref>[http://www.tldh.org/2012/11/icann-prioriisation-draw/ ICANN Prioritization Draw, TLDH.org] Retrieved 1 Dec 2012</ref>
==Background==
==Background==