1. 1 1 The Why & How of IDN Generic Domain Names Presented by: Chuck Gomes Date: 13 May 2010

2. 2 2 Introduction Personal Information –VP, Policy & Compliance, VeriSign, Inc. –Chair, ICANN GNSO Council –Involved in Internet domain name policy work since 1996 Outline 1.Why IDNs? 2.IDNs are a Global Issue 3.Early IDN History 4.GNSO IDN Policy Work 5.What’s next for gTLD IDNs?

3. 3 3 Why IDNs?  A better user experience –Over 60% of the Internet users in the world do not have English as their primary language. –ASCII names are hard to reproduce on keyboards and elsewhere. –Mixing 2 nd level IDNs with ASCII TLDs is an incomplete solution.  Why generic IDNs? –Organizations & individuals that interact across multiple countries & regions can use one generic IDN name versus multiple IDN ccTLD names. –User demand: –There are nearly one million.com &.net 2 nd level domain names and that is only half a solution (IDN.ASCII). –From the beginning.com &.net registrants wanted a full IDN.IDN name. –The same is true for other gTLDs.

4. 4 4 IDNs are a Global Issue  IDNs are not a ccNSO issue or a GNSO issue.  IDNs are a user issue. –gTLD users –ccTLD users  From the start, ICANN policy work has been handled as a cross SO issue involving both ccTLD and gTLD stakeholders.

5. 5 5 Early IDN History  2000: Introduction of 2 nd level IDN domain names –First ccTLDs:.cn,.tw –First gTLD: VeriSign 2 nd Level IDN Domain Name Test Bed  2003: –IDNs in Applications (IDNA) standards for 2 nd level domain names –RFCs 3490, 3491, 3492 –IDN Guidelines version 1  2004: Introduction of IDN 2 nd level domain names in other gTLDs –.museum,.info

6. 6 6 2 nd Level IDN Example батя.com Punycode: xn--80ab6c9b.com Script: Cyrillic English Meaning: “Dad” Description Being used by a dealership selling power tools, snowmobiles, boats, etc.

7. 7 7 GNSO IDN Policy Work  IDN Working Group OUTCOMES REPORT (22 March 2007) –Group included members from the GNSO, the ccNSO and others. –Provided input into the New gTLD Policy Development Process  GNSO Council FINAL NEW GTLDS REPORT (8 August 2007) –Principle B: “Some new generic top-level domains should be internationalised domain names (IDNs) subject to the approval of IDNs being available in the root.” –Recommendation 2: “Strings must not be confusingly similar to an existing top-level domain or a Reserved Name.”  Joint IDN Working Group (ongoing) –GNSO & ccNSO work on IDN TLDs (variants, 1 & 2 character names)

8. 8 8 GNSO Input into the IDN ccTLD Processes (28 Oct 07) Selected Comments  “IDN-labeled TLDs (both cc & g) should be introduced as soon as practicable after technical requirements and tests are completed.”  “The user experience is one of the fundamental motivations for deployment of IDNs and should therefore be a guiding principle in implementation decisions.”  “Confusingly similar strings should be avoided.”  “Measures should be taken to limit confusion and collisions due to variants.”

9. 9 9 What’s Next for gTLD IDNs?  New gTLD Draft Applicant Guidebook version 4 is expected the end of this month.  It is hoped that the new gTLD application process will begin early in 2011.  It is expected that there will be many applications for IDN gTLDs. –IDN versions of existing gTLDs. –IDN versions of new gTLDs.

10. 10 Conclusion  The main purpose of IDN domain names is to meet user needs.  As we work together to implement IDNs, our primary focus should be on a good user experience.

11. 11 Thank You