The Why & How of IDN Generic Domain Names

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

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

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

6. 2nd 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.