CARTAGENA—Domain Name Wire has reported that ICM Registry has proposed three sunrise periods for website operators both with and without trademarked domains. ICM made the announcement in Cartagena, Colombia, at the current ICANN meeting, where it hopes its application to run a dot-XXX sTLD is approved.
“The first period would allow owners of porn-related trademarks to claim their .xxx domain names and use them as normal, ICM representatives said here at ICANN’s public meeting in Cartagena, Colombia,” reported Domain Name Wire about a trademark process that is reportedly being handled by Valideus, a British IP consultancy.
“But the second would enable non-porn companies that don’t want their brands associated with adult material to basically ‘turn off’ their trademarks in .xxx domains, paying a one-time fee,” the site continued. “The third proposed sunrise would allow owners of non-trademarked porn domains in other TLDs, such as .com, to get their equivalent .xxx using an automated Whois check.”
It remains to be seen whether these provisions appease those on the ICANN Board or on the Government Advisory Committee (GAC), both of which are working hard to resolve similar issues related to the new gTLDs. According to Domain Name Wire, some remaining issues may remain.
“It does not appear that ICM’s plans would prevent cybersquatters registering domains such as disneyporn.xxx, but high .xxx registration fees will likely make this less of a problem for trademark holders,” it reported.
The Cartagena meeting continues through Friday, Dec. 10, when the Board will conduct its final public meeting, and during which it could possibly vote on the ICM application. Free Speech Coalition Executive Director Diane Duke and FSC Board Chair Jeffrey J. Douglas are at the meeting, lobbying against the passage of dot-XXX.
