gTLD	Full Legal Name	E-mail suffix	Detail
.study	OPEN UNIVERSITIES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD	ngtld.webcentral.com.au	View

18(B)I. WHAT IS THE GOAL OF YOUR PROPOSED gTLD IN TERMS OF AREAS OF SPECIALTY, SERVICE LEVELS OR REPUTATION?

The key goals of the proposed new .study gTLD are in line with ICANN’s Affirmation of Commitments: to promote consumer trust, competition and consumer choice. OUA also seeks to foster its reputation as the leading provider of its online learning services and provide an authoritative internet space through which OUA and its affiliates are able to communicate with its users directly and effectively. Acknowledged within the Australian market for its online innovation, OUA aims to use the proposed .study gTLD to leverage its market leadership position as an online learning space and drive traffic and business growth for OUA by using .study as a trusted centre of targeted content and information about study options for its prospective students. The .study gTLD will allow its users to identify study topics more quickly and easily by matching their learning interest, career aspirations and lifestyles. OUA also plans to provide second level domain names such as open.study and university.study to assist in generating search-derived traffic for itself and its partner universities. Further, the ability to create personalised domain names on demand and domain names related to the individual study topics OUA provides will support these goals. Strengthened security measures, service levels and more effective functionality will provide a trusted and positive user experience.


18(B)II. WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE YOUR PROPOSED gTLD WILL ADD TO THE CURRENT SPACE, IN TERMS OF COMPETITION, DIFFERENTIATION, OR INNOVATION?

It is anticipated that the proposed .study gTLD will make positive contributions to the wider internet community, particularly in the online learning space, by providing:


DIFFERENTIATION (INCREASED TRUST):

The .study gTLD will simplify how internet users interact with OUA by providing a distinctive domain space specifically for open online learning. OUA anticipates that the .study gTLD will generate more search-derived traffic from users searching for study options. Such internet users will be able to directly navigate to the .study gTLD site to find the most relevant study option for their studies. By centralising accredited and certified study options, .study will facilitate its users’ decision-making process when investing in their education, saving them time and resources searching for the appropriate studying opportunity tailored to their needs. Further, OUA plans to increase its partnership with other educational institutions in Australia and overseas. The use of the .study gTLD may ultimately be adopted to regulate the education sector from a digital perspective. OUA seeks to establish a global standard in education by developing the .study gTLD to differentiate its offer in online learning among multiple providers. OUA already offers a unique model which enables students to study individual study topics and to commence study without the need for previous study, in most cases, via open entry. The current domain name system has shown that it is vulnerable to malicious abuses due to registration of domain names which seek to exploit consumer confusion. OUA can address some of these vulnerabilities by maintaining complete control over the domain names registered under the .study domain space. OUA intends to use .study to ensure that users are able to distinguish OUA’s selected network of education providers and the individual study topics they offer from counterfeiters. Together with consumer trust, internet users will be able to rely on the authoritativeness of the domain names under the .study domain space, which will differentiate interaction between internet users and OUA’s websites.


COMPETITION:

The differentiation of .study gTLD as a trusted online learning site for OUA will drive existing and new TLD registry operators and other education providers to make improvements in mechanisms to improve consumer trust of their TLDs. The ability to market OUA’s offer of individual study topics with the use of the .study gTLD will provide OUA a significant competitive edge as students wishing to find appropriate study options tailored to their needs will be encouraged to interact with domain names under the .study domain space. With a dedicated .study domain space, educational institutions and services providers in the education sector may have increased choices in the registration of domain names. As a result, .study will have a flow on effect to enable increased competition. Therefore, the benefits of the proposed .study gTLD will be distributed not only to its direct customers, but to the internet community at large forcing improved services in the market place.


INNOVATION:

With the expansion of the internet community to all corners of the world, the existing TLD structure presents limitations, not only in the availability of domain names for registrants, but also to businesses and organisations establishing a coherent global online brand presence to meet their evolving business needs. It is often difficult to register a domain name in existing domain space due to unavailability of the desired name. This problem is amplified for organisations such as OUA who work across many different jurisdictions and geographical markets. Even when the desired domain name is available, it may come with a high price tag associated with a purchase of such desired name from a third party or be ambiguous and fail to explain the nature of the organisation’s business. With .study, OUA has the ability to create second or third level domain names including the use of geographic names on demand which are relevant to its student base and the individual online study topics that OUA offers. By building its website and future websites with clear domain names such as openuniversities.study and country.study, OUA will be able to convey a clear message that it provides studying options from its partner universities and other accredited education providers. OUA will be able to combine its use of the domain space with innovative user focused marketing and services to address the currently unmet needs in the existing domain name system providing greater consumer choice.


18(B)III. WHAT GOALS DOES YOUR PROPOSED gTLD HAVE IN TERMS OF USER EXPERIENCE?

The proposed .study gTLD will provide a positive user experience, which meets the changing and growing needs of the global internet community. OUA will maintain control in the registration and use of domain names and will ensure that the new gTLD will only be used for purposes authorised by OUA. Therefore, the .study gTLD will:

- provide an easy and intuitive reference and access point for internet users searching for study options matching their learning interest or career aspirations;

- represent authenticity thus promoting user confidence;

- direct internet users to relevant information in a timely manner by creating domain names such as university.study on demand;

- allow the use of IDNs at a later stage to enable OUA’s current and prospective students to interact directly in their native language;

- use geographic names to localise OUA’s websites to connect with internet users in the relevant regions and to comply with local laws;

- enhance security and minimise security risks by implementing necessary technical and policy measures;

- strengthen brand reputation and user confidence by eliminating user confusion; and

- prevent potential abuses in the registration process reducing overall costs to businesses and users.


OUA intends to create relevant domain names for use including product, services or geographic names in the second or third level domain names. In accordance with the registration policy and the proposed measures for protection of geographic names as outlined in response to Question 22, OUA will use geographic names to localise its websites in the Australia and its main territories initially where OUA offers its online studies. OUA plans to expand the use of geographic names to other countries in the Asia Pacific and US regions at a later stage where OUA plans to expand its operations. The use of geographic names is intended to:

- connect internet users with relevant information as applicable to the territory; and

- comply with required rules and regulations in the relevant territory.


At this stage, OUA does not intend to utilise Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) at the second level. However, as the use of the .study gTLD evolves, OUA may wish to utilise IDNs to allow internet users to engage with .study in their native language, creating a more positive user experience and encouraging diversity.

The .study gTLD should address the concerns that the current domain name system is open to potential malicious abuse and user confusion in the registration processes. Although the current system allows an eligible party to lodge a claim through existing Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) or other dispute resolution processes, the .study gTLD will reduce potential abuses in the registration processes and overall costs to internet users. User confidence in the domain name system will be strengthened, which will ultimately contribute towards promoting ICANN’s core values in benefiting the public interest.


18(B)IV. PROVIDE A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE APPLICANTʹS INTENDED REGISTRATION POLICIES IN SUPPORT OF THE GOALS LISTED ABOVE.

The proposed registration policy is attached in response to Question 28.

Only OUA will be eligible to register domain names in .study at this stage. The domain name registration processes will address the requirements mandated by ICANN, including rights abuse prevention measures.


18(B)V. WILL YOUR PROPOSED GTLD IMPOSE ANY MEASURES FOR PROTECTING THE PRIVACY OR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANTS OR USERS? IF SO, PLEASE DESCRIBE ANY SUCH MEASURES.

OUA is committed to protection of privacy and confidential information in accordance with its objective of increasing consumer trust and providing a safe and legitimate internet space for internet users. Privacy and confidential information will be protected in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations relating to internet security, privacy and user’s confidential information including the Privacy Act 1988 (Australia).

Privacy is of fundamental concern to most of OUA’s students as such OUA has a strong interest in ensuring a high level of privacy protection for its users. OUA has implemented its own privacy policy that complies with the 10 National Privacy Principles (NPP) listed under the Privacy Act 1988 (Australia) to demonstrate its commitment to the protection of user privacy and confidential information. OUA’s privacy policy includes provisions regarding:

1. Collection of personal information (NPP 1 & 10): OUA will not collect any personal information unless it is necessary for its functions. OUA will inform a user of the purpose of such a collection when the information is needed.

2. Use and disclosure of personal information (NPP 2): OUA will only use the personal information collected for the purpose informed to the user or otherwise permitted by law.

3. Security and quality of personal information (NPP 3 & 4): OUA takes reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information in its collection is accurate, complete and up-to-date and protects the personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

4. Access to and correction of personal information (NPP 5 & 6): OUA allows its users to access their personal information and request for any correction of such information to be made.

5. Commonwealth Government Identifiers (NPP 7): OUA will issue its own identification numbers instead of using Commonwealth government identifiers (such as health insurance numbers) as its own identifier of individuals to protect the privacy of information provided by its users.

6. Anonymity (NPP 8): OUA allows users not to identify themselves when it is lawful and practicable to do so.

7. Transborder Data Flows (NPP 9): OUA complies with the requirements under law relating to transborder data flows.

8. Sensitive information (NPP 10): OUA will not collect sensitive information about its users without their consent unless permitted by law.


As the .study gTLD will only be available to OUA, initially, the amount of personal data that will be collected for the purposes of operating the gTLD and made publicly available in the WHOIS database will be very limited. OUA will provide a publicly available and searchable WHOIS look up facility, where information about the domain name status, registrant information including administrative and technical contact details can be found in accordance with Specification 4 of the Registry Agreement. In order to prevent misuse of the WHOIS look up facility, OUA will utilise measures including a requirement where any person submitting a WHOIS database query is required to read and agree to the terms and conditions in accordance with the registration policy. This will include the terms of use that the WHOIS database is provided for information purposes only and that the user agrees not to use the information for any other purposes such as allowing or enabling the transmission of unsolicited commercial advertising or other communication.

OUA will deploy Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) which is intended to benefit both OUA and its users interacting with OUA online. DNSSEC provides additional security by validating information in the transmission, therefore it is intended to benefit those who publish information in the domain name system (DNS) and the users who retrieve information from the new .study gTLD. OUA already implements measures to protect privacy or confidential information of its users against misuse, loss, alteration and unauthorised access. Such measures include the use of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) data encryption.

OUA will continue to apply all security measures currently implemented and will comply with all other policies and practices required by ICANN in the Registry Agreement and any relevant Consensus Policy for protecting the privacy and confidential information of registrants and users in the new .study domain space.


18(B)VI. DESCRIBE WHETHER AND IN WHAT WAYS OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS WILL HELP TO ACHIEVE YOUR PROJECTED BENEFITS.

The proposed new gTLD will be publicised by a media plan to promote recognition of the new gTLD within the internet community to be a trusted site and as a sign of authenticity.

During the initial stage of the operation of the proposed new gTLD, it is anticipated that internet users may be re-directed to current websites. However, over time, it is foreseen that communication to the internet community of the existence of the proposed new gTLD and encouragement to utilise the trusted site will contribute towards minimising malicious abuses and protecting internet users.

gTLD	Full Legal Name	E-mail suffix	Detail
.weather	The Weather Channel LLC	weather.com	View

18(b)i. What is the goal of your proposed gTLD in terms of areas of specialty, service levels or reputation?

The key goals of the proposed new .weather gTLD are in line with ICANN’s Affirmation of Commitments: to promote consumer trust, competition and consumer choice. Via the .weather gTLD, TWC will create a means for quicker access to relevant, personalized, and potentially lifesaving weather-related information. The .weather gTLD will help to increase the already established consumer perception of TWCC as a safety and preparedness expert. TWC also seeks to foster its online reputation and provide an authoritative internet space through which TWC is able to communicate with its customers directly and effectively. The ability to create domain names on demand related to specific marketing, specialty service, product development and personalized weather related content for users supports these goals. Strengthened security measures, service levels and more effective functionality will provide a trusted and positive user experience for internet users looking up online weather-related content via TWC.

18(b)ii. What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space, in terms of competition, differentiation, or innovation?

It is anticipated that the proposed .weather gTLD will make positive contributions to the wider internet community by providing:

Differentiation (Increased trust):
The .weather gTLD will simplify how internet users interact with weather-related content by providing a distinctive domain space that will come to be known as the authoritative domain space for weather-related content. Internet users will be able to utilize fast and easy access to weather-related content by directly navigating to the .weather gTLD domain space, saving time and resources searching for an official site. The .weather gTLD will create an innovative, personalized and localized weather experience for consumers to get important and potentially lifesaving weather-related information quickly. The current domain name system has shown that it is vulnerable to malicious abuses due to registration of domain names which seek to exploit consumer confusion. TWC can address some of these vulnerabilities by maintaining complete control over the domain names registered under the .weather domain space, thus increasing consumer trust by providing a secure and safe .weather gTLD. Internet users will be able to rely on the authoritativeness of the domain names and information presented under .weather domain space, which will differentiate interaction between internet users and TWC.

Competition:
The differentiation of .weather gTLD as an innovative and trusted domain space will drive existing and new TLD registry operators to make improvements in mechanisms to improve consumer trust and innovation in their TLDs. Internet users will be encouraged to interact with domain names under .weather domain space, given the easy and speedy access to relevant and important weather-related information. As a result, .weather will have a flow-on effect to enable increased competition. Therefore, the benefits of the proposed .weather will be distributed not only to its direct customers, but to the internet community at large forcing improved services and competitive pricing in the market place.

Innovation:
With the expansion of the internet community to all corners of the world, the existing TLD structure presents limitations, not only in the availability of domain names for registrants, but also to businesses and organizations establishing a coherent global online brand presence to meet their evolving business needs. This problem is amplified for organizations such as TWC that work across many different jurisdictions and geographical markets. TWC has the ability to create second or third level domain names including the use of geographic names and IDNs on demand that are relevant to its customer base, services and products. The domain names within the .weather gTLD will be used primarily to provide consumers access to personalized weather-related information about a given geography (city, town, or postal code) relevant to the particular user in the fastest and most efficient manner possible on the internet. Internet users will be assured of brand authenticity and data quality via the trusted .weather gTLD. TWC will be able to combine its use of the domain space with innovative user focused marketing and services to address the currently unmet needs in the existing domain name system, providing greater consumer choice.

18(b)iii. What goals does your proposed gTLD have in terms of user experience?
The proposed .weather gTLD will provide an innovative user experience with simplicity that meets the changing and growing needs of the global internet community and mobile device users. TWC will maintain control in the registration and use of domain names and will ensure that the new gTLD will only be used for purposes authorized by TWC. Therefore, .weather gTLD will:
- provide an easy, speedy and intuitive reference and access point for users that access the internet via computers (desktop, laptops) and mobile devices;
- represent authenticity, thus promoting user confidence;
- direct internet users to relevant and potentially life-saving weather-related information in a timely manner and on demand;
- use IDNs at a later stage to enable customers to interact directly in their native language;
- use geographic names to localize its websites (city, town, postal code) to connect with internet users in the relevant regions in order to provide them a localized weather experience and to comply with local laws;
- enhance security and minimize security risks by implementing necessary technical and policy measures;
- strengthen brand reputation and user confidence by eliminating user confusion; and
- prevent potential abuses in the registration process reducing overall costs to businesses and users.

The .weather gTLD should address the concerns that the current domain name system is open to potential malicious abuse and user confusion in the registration processes. Although the current system allows an eligible party to lodge a claim through existing Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) or other dispute resolution processes, the .weather gTLD will reduce potential abuses in the registration processes and overall costs to internet users. User confidence in the domain name system will be strengthened, which will ultimately contribute towards promoting ICANN’s core values in benefiting the public interest.

18(b)iv. Provide a complete description of the applicantʹs intended registration policies in support of the goals listed above

The proposed registration policy is attached in response to Question 28.

Only affiliate entities of TWC will be eligible to register domain names in .weather at this stage. The domain name registration processes will address the requirements mandated by ICANN, including rights abuse prevention measures.

18(b)v. Will your proposed gTLD impose any measures for protecting the privacy or confidential information of registrants or users? If so, please describe any such measures.

TWC is committed to protection of privacy and confidential information in accordance with its objective of increasing consumer trust and providing a safe and legitimate internet space for internet users. Privacy and confidential information will be protected in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations and industry standards relating to internet security, privacy and user’s confidential information including compliance with the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act (Can Spam Act) 2003 (US) and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (US). TWC is also accredited by TRUSTe for compliance with TRUSTe’s requirements including transparency, accountability and choice regarding the collection and use of personal information from internet users.

TWC has also implemented its own privacy policy to demonstrate its commitment to the protection of user privacy and confidential information. TWC’s Privacy Statement includes provisions regarding collection, use, transfer and storage of personal data as well as protection of children’s privacy.

As the .weather gTLD will only be available to affiliate entities of TWC, initially, the amount of data that will be collected for the purposes of operating the gTLD and made publicly available in the WHOIS database will be very limited. TWC will provide a publicly available and searchable WHOIS look up facility, where information about the domain name status, registrant information including administrative and technical contact details can be found in accordance with Specification 4 of the Registry Agreement. In order to prevent misuse of the WHOIS look up facility, TWC will utilize measures including a requirement where any person submitting a WHOIS database query is required to read and agree to the terms and conditions in accordance with the registration policy. This will include the terms of use that the WHOIS database is provided for information purposes only and that the user agrees not to use the information for any other purposes such as allowing or enabling the transmission of unsolicited commercial advertising or other communication.

TWC will deploy Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) which is intended to benefit both TWC and its users interacting with TWC online. DNSSEC provides additional security by validating information in the transmission, therefore it is intended to benefit those who publish information in the domain name system (DNS) and the users who retrieve information from the new .weather gTLD. TWC already implements measures to protect privacy or confidential information of its users against misuse, loss, alteration and unauthorized access. Such measures include the use of the TRUSTe Privacy Seal, demonstrating TWC’s privacy policy and practices have been reviewed by TRUSTe for compliance with TRUSTe’s requirements including transparency, accountability and choice regarding the collection and use of personal information from internet users.

TWC will continue to apply all security measures currently implemented and will comply with all other policies and practices required by ICANN in the Registry Agreement and any relevant Consensus Policy for protecting the privacy and confidential information of registrants and users in the new .weather domain space.

18(b)vi. Describe whether and in what ways outreach and communications will help to achieve your projected benefits.

The proposed new gTLD will be publicized by a media plan to promote recognition of the new gTLD within the internet community to be a trusted site and as a sign of authenticity.
TWC will utilize its reach across TV and digital platforms (160 million unduplicated users monthly) to publicize the existence of the .weather gTLD. For marketing, TWC can use at its discretion:
1. promotional videos on The Weather Channel® TV network and on digital platforms;
2. banner advertising placements on the weather.com® site and TWC mobile platforms;
3. mobile text message and promotional messages distributed to its mobile users; and
4. advertisements on third party services.

During the first year TWC will be focused on marketing its new .weather gTLD to US weather users. Marketing in the following years will expand to markets outside the US. By the end of the third year, TWC expects to be marketing its new .weather gTLD on all of its owned and operated properties globally.

During the initial stage of the operation of the proposed new gTLD, it is anticipated that internet users will be re-directed to current websites. However, over time, it is foreseen that communication to the internet community of the existence of the proposed new gTLD and encouragement to utilize the trusted site will contribute towards minimizing malicious abuses and protecting internet users.