gTLD	Full Legal Name	E-mail suffix	Detail
.NGO	Public Interest Registry	pir.org	View

PIR’s goal is to provide the NGO Community an exclusive and immediately recognized home on the Internet. To achieve this goal and ensure that .NGO domain names are allocated in a manner that serves the NGO Community, PIR has developed a set of .NGO registration restriction policies and corresponding compliance and enforcement mechanisms.

The policies are built to match the need of the NGO Community based on feedback from NGO Community members; based on experience from the .ORG gTLD management since 2003; and generally established to ensure a higher security level for .NGO domain names than what currently is considered standard global requirements for gTLDs today.

.NGO Registration Policies
The registration policies in support of the NGO Community goals are described in the following summary and are detailed later in this section.
• Registrant Eligibility Requirements – all registrants must demonstrate affiliation through NGO membership organizations or through evidence of NGO status. PIR will work with membership organization, the NGO Community Advisory Council, and other members of the NGO Community to validate their eligibility.
• Name Selection Policy – ensures that only NGO Community relevant domain names are registered.
• Reserved Name Policy – names⁄types of domain names will initially be reserved from registration under .NGO.
• Registry Name Policy – names⁄types of domain names will be held from general availability, these will be used in support of the registry.
• Content and Use Restriction Policy – ensures that usage of the .NGO domain name corresponds with NGO Community activities.
• Compliance Functions – ensures ongoing compliance of the Registrant Eligibility Requirements, and the Content and Use Restriction Policy listed below.

The following policies support of the NGO Community goals and are detailed in subsequent Evaluation Questions of the application dedicated to such policies, as noted below.
• Abuse Prevention and Mitigation – includes the Anti-Abuse Policy which addresses the identification and prompt action taken on malicious use of domain names, and the Restriction Dispute Resolution Policy (RDRP) which ensures that disputes concerning any of the .NGO Registration Policies can be solved in an appropriate manner. Detailed descriptions of both policies can be found in response to Evaluation Question #28.
• Rights Protection Mechanisms – protects intellectual property holders under the Trademark Clearinghouse, Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS), Registry Restrictions Dispute Resolution Procedures (RRDRP),Post-Delegation Dispute Resolution Policy (PDDRP), in addition to the Sunrise services and policies that can be found in response to Evaluation Question #29.

PIR will review all policies and processes on an annual basis with involvement from the PIR’s NGO Community Advisory Council and present the results to the NGO Community, allowing them to provide feedback.

Specific Policy Details

Registrant Eligibility Requirements: The .NGO domain registrations are open to NGO Community members. All registrants must demonstrate affiliation through NGO membership organizations or through evidence of NGO status. PIR will work with NGO membership organizations, the NGO Community Advisory Council, and other members of the NGO Community to validate their eligibility.

In consultation with PIR’s NGO Community Advisory Council PIR is reviewing potential NGO membership organizations who can verify the NGO status of registrants. NGO membership organizations include the following, and will expand over time:
• Global organizations: International associations and⁄or classification-based associations.
• Regional organizations: Associations across broad geographic areas, potentially including multiple countries or jurisdictions.
• Local organizations: Associations or groups that provide support and memberships at a country or local level.

During the registration process, the registrant will be asked to verify their eligibility and to demonstrate affiliation with a NGO member organization. Once the initial certification in step 1 of the verification process is confirmed, the domain is successfully created. If the .NGO registrant fails to provide any additional required information through step 2 of the verification process, the domain will be deleted and released back into the pool of available domains.

Content and Use Restriction Policy: Abusive use of the .NGO domain names will not be tolerated by PIR. The following use and content limitations apply:
• Overall the NGO domain name must be for a bona fide NGO use, as defined in the Restrictions Dispute Resolution in response to Evaluation Question #28.
• Websites must be developed with the intent to promote the corresponding .NGO registrant’s existing mission and activities, and not solely for commercialized or for-profit marketing usage.
• Use of the registered domain name to engage in activities inconsistent with the mission of a NGO is not allowed.
• Any illegal or fraudulent usage of the .NGO domain name is not allowed, including but not limited to phishing and pharming attacks, distribution of malware, and distribution of adult content.
• Registration and use of a domain name in violation of Rights Protection Mechanisms is not allowed.

Violations of any of the .NGO Registration Policies may be grounds for loss of registration, pursuant to the enforcement mechanism discussed below (with an appeal procedure).

Compliance Functions: While disputes will be managed directly by resolution providers, PIR will conduct random compliance audits across all the .NGO Registration Policies. Periodically PIRʹs compliance staff will audit a sample of .NGO registrations to verify claims to membership in a listed organization, name policy adherence, and compliance with the name and use policy.

If a registrant is found to not be in compliance the registrant will be notified that the domain will be placed on registry lock and that if the compliance issue is not cured the domain will be terminated.

As part of the compliance function PIR will also utilize its existing expertise, obtained through its management of .ORG, to monitor and take action on any abusive behavior taken place with .NGO domain names.

Name Selection Policy: The .NGO registrant must fulfill certain name policy criteria. PIR will employ the following restrictions concerning the names that eligible .NGO registrants can register. As such a .NGO registrant cannot register any name they wish but is limited by the following restrictions. A .NGO registered domain name may be:
1) the name of (entire or portion of) the NGO, e.g. its “doing business as” name,
2) an acronym representing the NGO,
3) a name that recognizes or generally describes the NGO, or
4) a name related to the mission or activities of the NGO.

Reserved Name Policy: The following names⁄types of domain names will initially be reserved from registration:
• All single- and two-character second-level domain names;
• Domains of an inappropriate nature, e.g., adult-related terminology, pursuant to a list defined by PIR and its NGO Community Advisory Council;
• Names provided by ICANN as required reserved names;
• A list of generic names defined by PIR and its NGO Community Advisory Council based on the overall criteria that the names represent the NGO Community in a general manner. Such names will be released in a specific RFP process ensuring that the names will benefit the NGO Community.

Registry Name Policy: The following names⁄types of domain names will be held from general availability; they will be used in support of the registry.
• Names to support registry operations, e.g., directory.ngo;
• Names to support PIR’s NGO Community Advisory Council.

Compliance and Enforcement Mechanisms
PIR will take both proactive and reactive measures to enforce the policies of the gTLD. Proactive measures are taken at the time of registration by requiring .NGO registrants to meet the .NGO Registration Policies and to agree to all policies and procedures of the gTLD. Reactive measures are addressed via our audit process and through our defined dispute resolution processes.

A violation of the .NGO Registration Policies will be enforced on a case-by-case, fact specific basis under the processes set forth below:
1. Any allegation that a domain name is not used primarily for NGO purposes shall be enforced under the provisions of the Restrictions Dispute Resolution Policy (ʺRDRPʺ) as described in Evaluation Question #28. The RDRP will be included as an appendix to the Registry Agreement. An appeal procedure is included in the RDRP.
2. Any alleged violation of the Rights Protection Mechanisms shall be enforced under the provisions contained in each of them.

Disputes resulting from violations of the .NGO Registration Policies will be resolved through the Compliance Functions and the Rights Protection Mechanisms. The Rights Protection Mechanisms (as detailed in Evaluation Question #29) will be made applicable by the ICANN-Accredited Registrarsʹ registration agreements with registrants. Proceedings under the Rights Protection Mechanisms will be conducted in accordance with the policies and procedures that will be included in an appendix to the Registry Agreement. As set forth in the Compliance Functions, the registry operator will review on a random basis, monitor, and verify that any particular domain name is being used primarily for NGO purposes and that a domain is being used in compliance with the Rights Protection Mechanisms processes.

Resource Plans
PIR will devote 2 compliance officers to handle compliance and disputes as they arise, although currently for .ORG this need is rare. Most compliance checks on registration eligibility are expected to be handled in an automated process.

gTLD	Full Legal Name	E-mail suffix	Detail
.music	.music LLC	farfurther.com	View

e) Please provide a complete description of the applicant’s intended registration policies in support of the community-based purpose of the applied-for gTLD.

The .music TLD will be a restricted domain space where second level .music domain names can be registered by eligible individuals, businesses and not-for-profit entities all around the globe. The following policies and mechanisms will be used to ensure support of the community-based purpose of the .music TLD:

1. Music Association⁄Organization membership:

Potential domain registrants must be members of or affiliated with at least one Member Organization of the Global Music Community. Domain registrations may be accepted, but will not resolve until the registrant’s membership credentials have been verified. This will require verification of relevant membership data during the registration process. This membership will be crosschecked with the relevant Member Organization. Verification of continued membership is required for renewal, to ensure ongoing eligibility.

2. Registrant Agreement:
Presented during the registration process, this agreement will require registrant compliance with the dotMusic Registry rules and Acceptable Use Policy (for details see Q28).

3. Qualified Registrars and Member based Resellers:
.music domains will only be available via ICANN accredited registrars (and their resellers) with demonstrated technical capability who have agreed to comply with .music’s Registry⁄Registrar Agreement. In order to ensure strict compliance with .music policy and offer the greatest opportunities to our community, the dotMusic registry will encourage Member Organizations of the GMC to become accredited resellers

In addition, .music will operate as a global registry from inception. Formatting flexibility is required to accommodate bandwidth constraints that may be experienced in the developing world. Accordingly, the dotMusic Registry will not mandate any particular formatting or usage.


Reserved Names:

dotMusic Registry will reserve the following classes of domain names, which will not be available to registrants via the Sunrise or subsequent periods:

• The reserved names required in Specification 5 of the new gTLD Registry Agreement.
• The geographic names required in Specification 5 of the new gTLD Registry Agreement, and as per our response to Question 21. See our response to Question 22 (“Protection of Geographic Names”) for details.
• The registry operator will reserve its own name and variations thereof, and registry operations names (such as nic.music, and registry.music,), so that we can point them to our Web site. Reservation of the registry operator’s names was standard in ICANN’s past gTLD contracts.
• We will also reserve names related to ICANN and Internet standards bodies (iana.music, ietf.music, www.music, etc.), for delegation of those names to the relevant organizations upon their request. Reservation of this type of name was standard in ICANN’s past gTLD contracts.

The list of reserved names will be public prior to the launch of the Sunrise period.

Premium Names:

• The dotMusic Registry will also designate a set of “premium names,” which will be set aside for distribution via special mechanisms. Premium names have been a standard feature of TLD rollouts since 2005. The list of premium names will be public prior to the launch of the Sunrise period.
• Premium names will be distributed by application only. Applicants would be required to describe how the intended use of a given premium name will result in demonstrable benefits to the .music community. The policies and procedures for receipt, review, and award of premium name applications will be based on input from the PAB and will be posted on the dotMusic Registry web site in advance. The rules to ensure transparency, integrity and in the distribution of names, include but are not limited to:
a. Strict prohibition of all employees of the dotMusic Registry operator, and its contractors, against bidding in auctions or having any ownership or interest in a premium name applicant.
b. Use of the Trademark Clearinghouse during General Availability (Trademark Claims Service) for an additional 60 days, for notifications of new registrations only where the string is a complete match with a filing in the Trademark Clearinghouse.

Dispute Resolution Mechanisms:

• Registrants and rights holders will have access to several dispute mechanisms. These are fair and transparent processes to adjudicate claims to domain names, and they also protect registrants against reverse domain hijacking.
• Names registered in the Sunrise Period will be subject to a Sunrise Dispute Policy. This policy and procedure will be in effect for a finite time period, to provide special protection of qualified trademark rights. Please see our response to Question 29 (“Rights Protection Mechanisms”) for full details.
• As required by ICANN, .music domains will be subject to the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). Please see our response to Question 29 (“Rights Protection Mechanisms”) for full details.
• As required by ICANN, .music domains will also be subject to the Universal Rapid Suspension (URS) policy. Please see our answer to Question 29 (“Rights Protection Mechanisms”) for full details.
• We will provision systems to take in and administrate cases as per ICANN’s Registrar Transfer Dispute Resolutions Policy (http:⁄⁄www.icann.org⁄en⁄transfers⁄dispute-policy-12jul04.htm). This process will allow registrars to protect registrants by filing disputes about inter-registrar transfers that they believe were unauthorized or improperly executed.
• MEDRP: .music will support the Music Eligibility Dispute Resolution Procedure. This dispute mechanism will be available to members of the .music community and end-users to file claims against registrants of the .music domain for violations of the .music eligibility and use community rules and policies. We will select an adjudication service from the list of ICANN approved arbitrators to facilitate MEDRP claims (please see Q28 and Q29 for further details).

Eligibility: who is eligible to register a second-level name in the gTLD, and how will eligibility be determined.

- Potential domain registrants must be members of or affiliated with at least one Member Organizations of the Global Music Community. Domain registrations may be accepted, but will not resolve until the registrant’s membership credentials have been verified. Please see the “Proposed .music Registration Process” attachment in our answer to Q48 for a step-by-step visual depiction of the process. Should the registrant fail to meet the eligibility criteria, they risk the suspension and ultimately deletion or loss of their domain name. Verification of continued membership is required for renewal, to ensure ongoing eligibility.

Name selection: what types of second-level names may be registered in the gTLD.

- Please see the Reserve Name policy detailed above. Beyond these, eligible registrants may register domains in compliance with the Registrant Agreement and its Acceptable Use Policy.

Content⁄Use: what restrictions, if any, the registry operator will impose on how a registrant may use its registered name.

- Registrants must hold valid rights to all materials displayed on and⁄or distributed through their specific site. Please see Q28 for details on .music’s Acceptable Use Policy. The dotMusic registry will be regularly monitored potential violations and also provide a robust abuse reporting process for such violations noticed by others. Should the registrant be found in violation, they risk the suspension and ultimately deletion or loss of their domain name.


Enforcement: what investigation practices and mechanisms exist to enforce the policies above, what resources are allocated for enforcement, and what appeal mechanisms are available to registrants.

- The .music Registry⁄Registrar and the Registrant Agreements will include extensive monitoring, enforcement (up to and including take downs) as well as appeal provisions.
Monitoring
o The .music TLD will be monitored by online scanning tools such as those that search for keywords that are commonly used to identify the availability of music distributed without appropriate authorization or in violation of intellectual property rights. Suspected abuse from such automated search tools will flag an analyst from our abuse team (see Q28) who will then access and review the website to confirm the abuse. Neustar will enable .music analysts to suspend domain names as required.
o The dotMusic Registry will also use Abuse Mitigation Services to monitor, detect and mitigate domain name abuses (se Q29)

Enforcement and Appeal

o Registrants in violation of the Registrant Agreement risk the suspension and ultimately deletion or loss of their domain name.
o As detailed in our answer to Q28, failure to comply with the Registry⁄Registrar agreement will result in loss or revocation of registrar accreditation.
o The dotMusic Registry will use standard dispute mechanisms (see Q28 and Q29), such as UDRP, URS etc. However, in the case of serious allegations of failure to meet community member eligibility requirements, we have created a MEDRP (Music Community Eligibility Dispute Resolution Procedure). This dispute mechanism will be arbitrated by a third party approved by ICANN such as WIPO and will be binding on all parties (provisions will be named in the Registrant Agreement). Disputes may be initiated by community members or end-users; however, there will be reasonable limitations developed on the filing of disputes to prevent abuse of the mechanism. Please see our answer to Q20(b) under “Accountability mechanisms of the applicant to the community” for additional details on appeal procedures.