March 25, 2014, Singapore:  GAC Meeting with the ICANN Board

In its meeting with the ICANN Board, the Government Advisory Committee (GAC) representatives from around the world provided some highlights of the issues that may be in their forth coming Singapore Communique.  Key concerns are: the use of auctions to solve competition for important gTLD strings; promotion of diversity and community interests, and who/what will replace United States Government oversight of ICANN.

On the issue of auctions, the GAC Representative from Iran stated, in furtherance of a position set forth by the Russian Federation Representative, that since the adoption of Section 4.3 of the New gTLD Applicant Guide Book (AGB) (years ago) pertaining to Auctions, “the environment has drastically changed.  With 1937 new gTLDs – an auction, although ‘last resort,’ runs counter to public interest.  Giving privilege to those who can afford to pay (e.g. Google and Amazon) over those that cannot, but still have a right [or seek to serve an important interest].”

For those of you following the new gTLD process, it’s not just a good spectator sport, but rather has real implications on how the “new world Internet” is going to work.  Click here for more.