Re: [bc-gnso] Draft GNSO Council letter to the GAC

[George Kirikos <icann@xxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

On Thu, May 14, 2009 at 8:20 AM, Philip Sheppard wrote:
>
> Driven by the Registrars, the Council is considering a letter to the GAC 
> (draft attached) in
> response to the GAC letter to ICANN CEO.

The GAC letter raises important issues which demonstrates that the new
gTLD program needs far greater study before being capable of being
launched. They reinforce the resounding comments made by the vast
majority of the public (including businesses) who've made thoughtful
comments that do not see any need for new gTLDs, and actually are
actively opposed to their introduction due to their negative
externalities. New gTLD advocates have not demonstrated any widespread
support outside of a tiny minority who wish to directly profit from
their launch, profits which are geared to short-term thinking and
which can and will cause long-term and lasting damage to the public.
New gTLDs are falsely portrayed by ICANN as "win-win", but they are
truly "win-lose" (with the number of losers facing damages swamping by
far any "winners").

We do not support the GNSO Council's draft response letter, because it
is written based on the assumption that new gTLDs have to be launched.
A more measured response would admit not only the possibility, but the
reality that major threshold issues remain unresolved. Indeed more
threshold issues are being discovered as the implications of adding
large numbers of new gTLDs are thought through by more and more
members of the public.

Sincerely,

George Kirikos
416-588-0269
http://www.leap.com/