Mayor de Blasio Announces the Launch of First .NYC Websites

[news release] Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that the first .nyc websites have gone live. The owners of these domain names, officially called “.nyc Founders,” represent a diverse group of New Yorkers—including First Lady Chirlane McCray—and organizations from across the five boroughs who applied to be among the first to get a .nyc domain.

The .nyc domain is part of the creation of a new class of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) that will greatly expand the web’s domain name system. With the historic launch of .nyc, the City of New York has become one of the first cities in the world with a top-level domain, creating a unique opportunity for local businesses, organizations and residents to brand themselves online and to showcase their affiliation with New York City. The .nyc domain will launch to the public on October 8, giving all New Yorkers the chance to claim their own piece of the City’s high-demand digital real estate. Learn more: on.nyc.gov/UX6DEp

“It’s exciting to see New York City’s official domain coming to life with the launch of our first .nyc Founder websites,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Our .nyc Founders include an eclectic mix of small businesses, well-known brands, non-profit organizations, entrepreneurs, artists, agencies and individuals embodying the spirit and opportunity of New York City—including our First Lady Chirlane McCray—who are using their .nyc web addresses to share their stories, develop their businesses, engage with their communities, and support their fellow New Yorkers. Today, we move one step closer toward placing our city on the digital map and allowing more New Yorkers to own a small piece of cyberspace.”    

The .nyc Founders were given the opportunity to publish their websites early in an effort to showcase .nyc domains to the public, and will be featured in many of the City’s pre-launch marketing and awareness building initiatives.

“It’s moving day for #FLONYC! Today, my blog leaves ‘dot com’ behind and moves on to the newest and coolest destination on the web – “dot nyc.” And I’m thrilled to be a part of its historic launch,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray, one of the Founders and Chair of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “The address may have changed, but the content and purpose of my home on the web remains the same: to help tell the stories too often untold in our city, by documenting and sharing my work as First Lady of New York City.”

The First Lady will be relocating her personal blog to flo.nyc, where she chronicles her work as First Lady in an effort to shine the light on the people and stories of New York City. Read more: flo.nyc

“I’m so proud to have sponsored the City Council resolution that helped create the .nyc domain. It’s a new beginning on the web for small businesses and organizations to brand themselves as uniquely and specifically made in NYC,” Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer said. “The sheer range of those participating in .nyc Founders shows the vast potential for what .nyc can become,” said Manhattan Borough President, Gale A. Brewer.

“I’m thrilled that .nyc has taken this next step and has established Founders,” said Council Member James Vacca, Chair of the Committee on Technology. “It’s great to see. nyc being utilized by a variety of businesses, including iconic brands, small businesses and up-and-coming entrepreneurs, and I look forward to this domain helping companies across New York City reach more people and grow stronger.”

“The first .NYC sites are going live, and the best city in the world is about to get better with its own dot NYC domain,” said Council Member Ben Kallos a website developer. “This opportunity to support our city’s small businesses and grow jobs with dot NYC is thanks to Thomas Lowenhaupt who has made his singular vision into a reality through years of unwaivering advocacy, the understanding and support of Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer during her years in the Council, and the leadership on technology of Mayor Bill de Blasio. I hope that local businesses will continue to participate and learn more about how to get their own .NYC domain names.”

“The Shubert Organization is proud to be a founding member of the .nyc initiative. Every year, over 12 million people from around the world come to the heart of NYC to see a Broadway show. Our new website, shubert.nyc, will extend the digital outreach of Broadway and New York City,” said Philip J. Smith, Chairman, and Robert E. Wankel, President, of The Shubert Organization, Broadway’s largest theatre owner and operator.

“We are thrilled to be one of the first agencies in the City to get our .nyc domain, and to use it as part of our branding efforts,” said Daniel Doebrich, co-founder of MISTER, a NYC-based digital design and new technology agency. “MISTER is inspired by New York City’s unique combination of innovative fashion, and the constant stream of new tech solutions through its thriving startup scene. The .nyc domain helps us to better communicate this aspect, and supports our goal to become the digital house for a new generation of fashion brands. It creates a strong identity, which we have already witnessed after the first few weeks with our new emails. Clients are reaching out repeatedly to ask how we landed the .nyc domain. They love it and want to get their own.”

“.NYC gives the world’s greatest city its own digital identity—.nyc addresses the lack of available domain options, while solidifying NYC as a preeminent place to start a technology business today,” said Michael Lazerow, a serial entrepreneur and investor at Lazerow Ventures. “I am proud to call NYC my home and Laz.nyc my new digital home, dedicated to helping entrepreneurs build great companies in this great city.”

“It is so important for a nonprofit tech startup like us to represent New York City and our local community to both spread awareness and to increase community engagement,” said Jukay Hsu, Founder, Coalition for Queens (C4Q). “We’re thrilled to claim our own .nyc address at C4Q.nyc, as it will help us to empower local residents and support the growth of NYC’s tech ecosystem.”

“As a media brand with a largely New York audience, rebranding to GayCityNews.nyc will help us to better serve the residents, workers and visitors of our communities with the most relevant news, information and opinions that affect their lives,” said Jennifer Goodstein, Publisher, NYC Community Media LLC. “We’re excited to be one of the earliest adopters of the .nyc domain, and are looking forward to switching all of our brands to .nyc in the near future.”

“I am so excited to launch my new website, Bridget.nyc! I’ll be posting news and updates about my upcoming album release, tour dates, amongst other passions. I’m ready to share everything with the world,” said Bridget Kelly, singer and songwriter. “I was born and raised in this city, and being a New Yorker is an important part of my story. I can’t wait to take everyone on my journey on the new site—I hope my fans will follow along the way.”

While additional websites will be launching in the weeks ahead, the first wave of .nyc websites includes:

• 125th Street Business Improvement District (125thstreet.nyc)
• Armory Foundation (armory.nyc)
• Bell Environmental Services (wheresroscoe.nyc)
• Bike New York (bikenewyork.nyc)
• Birdland Jazz Club (birdland.nyc)
• Blue Sky Communications (bluesky.nyc)
• Brooklyn Music Festical (brooklynmusicfestival.nyc)
• Coalition for Queens (c4q.nyc)
• Dance / NYC (dancenyc.nyc)
• Droga5 (droga5.nyc)
• First Lady Chirlane McCray (flo.nyc)
• Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership (flatirondistrict.nyc)
• Gardega Studios (murals.nyc)
• Gay City News (gaycitynews.nyc)
• General Assembly (generalassembly.nyc)
• Gothamist (gothamist.nyc)
• Icon Parking Systems (wepark.nyc)
• Il Forno Bakery (ilfornobakery.nyc)
• Ink Creative Agency (ink.nyc)
• Journalist Tim McDonald (stories.nyc)
• Lazerow Ventures (laz.nyc)
• Lincoln Square Business Improvement District (winterseve.nyc)
• Livestream (livestream.nyc)
• Liz Christy Garden (lizchristygarden.nyc)
• Lower East Side Business Improvement District (pickleday.nyc)
• Manhattan Sideways (sideways.nyc)
• MESH Architectures (mesh.nyc)
• Mister (mister.nyc)
• Musical Theatre Factory (mtf.nyc)
• Musician Bridget Kelly (bridget.nyc)
• New York City Beekeepers Association  (bees.nyc)
• New York Rugby (newyorkrugby.nyc)
• NY Tech Meetup (future.nyc)
• Pace University (pace.nyc)
• Photographer Casey Neistat  (casey.nyc)
• Pickle Day (pickleday.nyc)
• Plenty (plenty.nyc)
• Row House (row.nyc)
• Staten Island Makerspace (makerspace.nyc)
• Studio M+ (studiomplus.nyc)
• Tech entrenpreneur Alex Godin (alex.nyc)
• Tech entrenpreneur Hilary Mason (hilary.nyc)
• The New-York Historical Society (nywomen.nyc)
• The Shubert Organization, Inc. (shubert.nyc)
• Times Square Alliance (newyearseve.nyc)
• Tinsel & Twine (tinsel.nyc)
• Union Theological Seminary (unionseminary.nyc)

The .nyc web address will be available to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis, starting on October 8, 2014. For those interested in registering .nyc domain names early, applications are still being accepted through October 3rd during the pre-launch “Landrush” registration phase. For more information about .nyc, the official web address of New York City, or to register your .nyc domain name, please visit www.OwnIt.nyc.

This news release was sourced from:
www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/434-14/mayor-de-blasio-the-launch-first-nyc-websites

Seven Domains Top Six Figures In Bumper Week On Sales Chart… Including Some DirtyPanties.com

The week before last the top sale domain name was $35,000, but last week all of the top 20 sales cleared $50,000. And the top sale was an even one million dollars and the top seven cleared the one hundred thousand dollar mark.

The million dollar sale was check.com sold in a private sale, making it the equal seventh biggest sale for the year-to-date, while aura.com and yes.net sold for $175,000 each through DomainNameSales and PremiumURLs.net respectively, topping the Domain Name Journal chart of top reported sale for the week ending 24 August.

The other six figure sales for the week were 99.net ($150,000), munch.com ($140,000), vapers.com ($132,470) and peepers.com ($105,000), all sold through DomainNameSales.

The strangest of the top 20 sales would probably have to go to dirtypanties.com, coming in 20th in a $50,000 sale. Proof there is money in one’s dirty laundry!

It was a cracker of a week for DomainNameSales taking out 16 of the top 20 sales while usual leader on the aftermarket outlet side of things Sedo only had one sale.

And as usual, .com dominated the TLD side of things with 18 of the top 20 sales while the remaining two were .net domains.

To check out the Domain Name Journal list of top reported sales for the week ending 24 August in detail, go to:
dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2014/20140903.htm

Norwegian Individuals More Likely To Get Their Own Domain Under .NO

Norwegian individuals are more likely to register a .no domain name now they can register one directly under .no rather than under .priv.no, as was the case prior to 17 June.

ICA Counsel To Co-Chair IGO/INGO Working Group by Philip Corwin, Internet Commerce Association

On September 4^th ICANN’s GNSO Council confirmed the appointment of ICA Counsel Philip Corwin as Co-Chairman of the IGO-INGO Access to Curative Rights Protection Mechanisms Working Group. This WG will have to consider a broad array of issues that are relevant not only to its own work but to the broader upcoming review of the rights protection measures (RPMs) created for the new gTLD program, as well as potential UDRP reform, that will begin in Spring 2015.

Among its charges will be examining the feasibility of making the UDRP and URS, or some new variant thereof, available to International Government Organizations (IGOs) and International Nongovernmental Organizations (INGOs) that believe that the rights embodied in their full organizational names or acronyms have been infringed upon. From an internal ICANN political perspective it will be trying to resolve the differences — or at least narrow the wide gap between — the unanimous GNSO Council position that the rights of these organizations in their exact names and acronyms in domain names were limited, and the opposing Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) position.

They issues and task the WG will address include:

• The differences between the UDRP and the URS;
• The relevance of existing RPMs in the Applicant Guidebook for the New gTLD Program;
• The interplay between its work and the forthcoming GNSO review of the UDRP, URS and other rights-protection mechanisms;
• The distinctions, if any, between IGOs and INGOs for purposes of this PDP;
• The potential need to distinguish between a legacy gTLD and a new gTLD;
• The potential need to clarify whether the URS is a Consensus Policy binding on ICANN’s contracted parties;
• The issue of cost to IGOs and INGOs to use curative processes;
• The relevance of specific legal protections under international legal instruments and various national laws for IGOs and certain INGOs (e.g., the Red Cross and the International Olympic Committee).
• Consideration of whether subsequent developments such as the New gTLD Program and the URS mean that prior ICANN community recommendations on IGO dispute resolution are no longer applicable;
• Examination of whether or not similar justifications and amendments should apply to both the UDRP and URS, or if each procedure should be treated independently;
• Communications with existing ICANN dispute resolution service providers as well as experienced UDRP panelists;
• Determination of what specific considerations (e.g., qualifying requirements, authentication criteria, and appeal processes) should apply to IGOs and INGOs;
• Research on applicable international law regarding the rights of, and special privileges and immunities for, IGOs;
• Research on the extent to which IGOs and INGOs already have trademarks and might be covered, in whole or in part, by existing UDRP and URS proceedings;
• Research on the number and list of IGOs currently protected under Article 6ter of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property;
• Research on the number and list of INGOs included on the ECOSOC list in consultative status;
• Consideration of whether there may be practical alternatives, other than amending the UDRP and URS, that can provide adequate curative rights protections for IGOs and INGOs;
• Consideration of a clear definition of the mission of an IGOs, its scope of operations, and the regions and countries in which it operates, with the goal of providing a context for the IGO or INGO similar to the scope and terms of a trademark;
• Assuring that any WG recommendations incorporate fundamental principles of fair use, acknowledge free speech and freedom of expression, and balance the rights of all parties to use generic words and other terms and acronyms in non-confusing ways.

The WG is holding its initial conference call on September 8^th. Its current work plan projects it completing its examination of these matters by the time of the ICANN 53 meeting scheduled for June 2015. Once all that initial work is done the WG will focus on developing consensus positions to be reflected in a final report and recommendations.

The other Co-Chair of the WG is Petter Rindforth, who currently serves on the GNSO Council as a representative of the Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC). The role of the Co-Chairs is to coordinate with ICANN policy staff to plan and schedule meetings; ensure that Working Group participation is balanced, fair and representative; keep the WG to its work plan; and determine the different levels of Consensus within the WG as the final policy recommendations are confirmed and published for public comment. The Chair are also responsible for coordinating outreach to other parts of the ICANN community beyond the GNSO.

This is not the only ICANN working group in which Corwin is participating on behalf of ICA members and the broader ICANN community. He is also a member of the Privacy and Proxy Services Accreditation Issues (PPSAI) PDP Working Group which is reviewing potential accreditation standards for privacy and proxy service providers; as well as the conditions under which they should be compelled to disclose hidden registrant information, and the appropriate parties to which such data may be revealed. This issue is important for all domain registrants who choose to utilize such services – whether to reduce spam, guard confidential business data, or avoid scrutiny if domiciled in repressive nations that suppress free speech.

Corwin has also joined the GNSO New gTLDs Subsequent Rounds Discussion Group.  It will be reviewing the new gTLD program’s performance and problems to date in preparation for a more formal process to determine whether any provisions of the Applicant Guidebook should be altered, as well as other potential changes, prior to commencement of a second round of new gTLDs.

While these ICANN working groups operate largely below the day-to-day radar they are the heart of the bottom-up, multistakeholder process and their work often results in the adoption of important new or modified ICANN policies.

This article by Philip Corwin from the Internet Commerce Association was sourced with permission from:
www.internetcommerce.org/igoingo-working-group/

EURid: Languages on the move in the Internet landscape

“Only by pursuing a policy of multilingualism in Internet access can we give effect to our policy of an Internet that is truly global, and truly accessible to all,” states European Commission Vice-President, Neelie Kroes, in the foreword of the IDN World Report 2014 produced by EURid with UNESCO in cooperation with Verisign and the country code Top Level Domain regional organisations (CENTR, LACTLD, APTLD and AFTLD).

The annual report is being presented today during a workshop at the Internet Governance Forum in Istanbul, Turkey, which takes place from 2 to 5 September.

Internationalised domain names (IDN) were first launched at the second level (eg παράδειγμα.eu) in 2000. From 2009, it became possible to register domain names entirely in non-Latin scripts (eg 例子.中国). At the end of 2013, there were 6 million IDNs (including second level names and IDN TLDs). Although this is a large number, it is just 2% of the world’s registered domain names (270 million).

EURid, the registry manager of the .eu Top Level Domain, has been supporting IDNs at the second level since late 2009 and has applied for the .eu in Greek and Cyrillic to ensure that the EU citizens can enjoy a complete IDN experience when writing languages that are not based on the Latin alphabet. “We are proud to have supported multilingualism through IDNs since the very beginning and to offer an extended customer support in all 24 official EU languages and, hopefully in the near future, the .eu TLD in Greek and Cyrillic,” commented EURid’s External Relations manager Giovanni Seppia.

The report contains evidence that shows that, far from being “internationalised”, IDNs are intensely localised. They are strongly linked to local language content, and although they occur in diverse writing systems, the location of such scripts is closely coupled to countries and regions where related languages are spoken.

New gTLDs promised to fulfil unmet needs in the domain name system. One obvious need is for enhanced linguistic diversity. With 90% of new gTLD strings (eg .photogra- phy) either in English language, or understandable in English, that opportunity has been lost – for now.

“The growth potential for Internet penetration is in Asia and the Pacific, Africa, and Latin America where English is not the primary language. For IDNs to fulfill their potential, multiple actors need to make changes to hasten universal acceptance, so that IDNs can be used seamlessly in every environment,” concludes the report’s main author Emily Taylor.

Download the report

This EURid announcement was sourced from:
www.eurid.eu/en/news/sep-2014/languages-move-internet-landscape