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Atallah to ag-IP-news: We Spent Seven Years Developing the New gTLD Program and Issues of Security and Stability were a Major Priority

20-Jun-2013 | Source : | Visits : 7917
Atallah to ag-IP-news: We Spent Seven Years Developing the New gTLD Program and Issues of Security and Stability were a Major Priority
By Ibtisam Awadat

AMMAN - ag-IP-news Agency conducted an interview with Mr. Akram Atallah, President of the Generic Domains Division, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) raising a number of issues regarding the new generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD), ICANN’s role in maintain security during the development of these gTLDs in addition to Arab Center for Dispute Resolution. Excerpts of the interview are as follows:

With the expansion to new top level domains, what’s the expected impact on the number of users and dissemination of the Internet globally?

One of the most exciting aspects of our new generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) program is the facilitation of non-Latin based languages for address names.  It means language characters in Arabic, Cyrillic or Chinese can be used to spell the entire domain name and it is our hope that this will increase Internet usage in all regions of the world. The Internet defines inclusion and our new program is an extension of that inclusive philosophy. Another important aspect of the new program is the expanded amount of choices it gives to consumers and businesses. We hope that these new opportunities will also result in an increase in Internet usage.

What are the expected risks and threats that would emerge? and would ICANN be capable to deal with?

Assuming you are asking about security threats, it is important to note that this new name space will actually be more secure than the existing space. We spent seven years developing the new gTLD program and the issues of security and stability were a major priority.  As an example, applicants for a new gTLD must agree to a background check in an effort to keep the space free of cyber-criminals.

If you’re asking about stability issues, then it’s important to note that our top concern is always the security and stability of the Domain Name System (DNS) and we have determined that the introduction of new gTLDs will not negatively impact the DNS.  http://blog.icann.org/2013/06/streamlining-the-new-gtld-delegation-process/

How to guarantee the freedom of expressions on the Internet? would and FTA be in your opinion the appropriate solution?

Our primary mission is the global coordination of the Domain Name System (DNS). We don’t control content. Another major part of our mission is to increase consumer choice and competition, and that is precisely what the new gTLD program facilitates.

How this in your opinion will affect domain names dispute resolution in the Arab region?

The following rationale was provided by the ICANN Board of Directors in regards to choosing the Arab Center for Dispute Resolution (ACDR).

"The Board's approval of the ACDR application brings to a close the work of the ACDR (in cooperation with ICANN staff) in working to meet the standards and elements of the process for approval of Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy ("UDRP") providers. This enhances ICANN's accountability through adherence to its processes. In addition, the approval of the first UDRP provider located in the Middle East enhances ICANN's accountability to the Internet community as a whole, enhancing choice for UDRP complainants."

For more information about the board's decision, please visit:

http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-18may13-en.htm#1.d

 

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