The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers may not move ahead as smoothly as expected to implement the proposed dot-xxx sponsored Top-Level Domain, AVNOnline.com has learned.
ICANN’s Government Advisory Committee Chairman Mohd Sharil Tarmizi submitted a letter Friday expressing concern about the implementation of dot-xxx, asking ICANN for additional time to address governmental and public policy concerns.
“You may recall that during the session between the GAC and the Board in Luxembourg that some countries had expressed strong positions to the Board on this issue,” Tarmizi wrote. “In other GAC sessions, a number of other governments also expressed some concern with the potential introduction of this TLD. The views are diverse and wide-ranging. Although not necessarily well articulated in Luxembourg, as chairman, I believe there remains a strong sense of discomfort in the GAC about the TLD, notwithstanding the explanations to date.”
Stuart Lawley, president of ICM Registry, the company hoping to oversee the dot-xxx sTLD, became aware of the concerns of some governments during the ICANN meeting in Luxembourg. The most vocal countries at the time were Brazil and Denmark, he said.
ICANN president Paul Twomey was unavailable for comment.
