Question: Do you think ICANN should encourage US businesses (perhaps through registrars) to register in the .US domain? This would solve much of the need for additional gTLDs. Also, what do you think about allowing foreigners to register in a country's TLD?

Nominee Replies

Barbara Simons - posted on 2000-10-01 15:01:15 I have no problem with ICANN's encouraging US businesses to make greater use of the .US domain, but ICANN should not be requiring that this happen. I also feel that policy relating to the various ccTLDs should be made by the corresponding registrars, not by ICANN. In other words, ICANN should not be in the business of regulating who may register with a ccTLD. Emerson Tiller, J.D., Ph.D. - posted on 2000-09-28 18:32:08 I don't think ICANN should do anything to encourage US businesses to register in the .us domain or any other domain. Leave that to the market. In terms of whether foreigners should be allowed to register in other countries' TLDs, I think that should be left to the individual governments. They need some part of the Internet to regulate -- so let them regulate the ccTLDs. But it would be great if they would chose openness in domain registration for foreigners. I think many more countries will chose to do so as it becomes clear that local competition is good. Lyman Chapin - posted on 2000-09-28 18:16:17 In general, it's not part of ICANN's role to recommend registration in one TLD over another; but leaving that aside, U.S. businesses have been encouraged (and exhorted, cajoled, and implored) to register in the .us domain for many years, with very little effect. Adding ICANN's voice to the pleading isn't likely to change the situation significantly. Many country code TLD managers accept registrations from anyone, including foreigners; under the current IANA rules, a national government doesn't automatically own the ccTLD associated with its country. I don't have a problem with this, although it creates something of a potential windfall for countries like Tuvalu (.tv), Moldova (.md), Turkmenistan (.tm), and Colombia (.co). Lawrence Lessig - posted on 2000-09-27 11:35:04 I think registries should have their own rules -- many different rules, which they enforce on their own. What we need is diversity in rules and practices, so as to create real competition.