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Direct registrations in .uk (again)

A couple of days ago I wrote about Nominet’s plans to allow registrations in .uk. Apparently it’s not just me that thinks the ideas are misguided. Every person I’ve spoken to who has any significant dealings with Nominet doesn’t think much of them. Even the UK chapter of the Internet Society (ISOC), hardly known for rocking the boat, agrees.

I was asked on a mailing list to make public some of the highlights of Nominet’s proposals, so here goes:

  • Permit direct registrations in .uk, but with no priority for those with existing .co.uk domain names;
  • Maintain (almost certainly wrongly) that registrations directly in .uk are more secure, more trustworthy and safer to deal with, so everyone with a .co.uk feels they need a .uk as their misguided customer base things they are somehow shifty;
  • Send out a paper form with every .uk registration to verify the registration address – remember certificates & reply forms anyone?
  • Give trademark holders (even non-UK trademark holders) priority over those without trademarks who legitimately use names;
  • Auction domains for which there are competition;
  • Auction domains names that expire;
  • Only permit registrations through a subsection of registrars; and
  • Virus scan ‘domains’ (I think they mean web sites) and award those that pass a ‘trustmark’ apparently proving the site is ok.

In my view this not just a very silly idea, but an attempt to adopt a ‘registry knows best’ model, with Nominet as policeman of what should and should not be trusted, and gives a huge boost to the international trademark lobby. If implemented, it will forever change the nature of .uk and Nominet (mostly in the latter case by making them look stupid, I suspect).

I wrote a longer blog article on this, and submitted an even longer full consultation response. But if you’ve got this far, and agree this is a stupid proposal, please fill in Nominet’s survey here even if you just go to the end and click ‘disagree with everything’. You’ve got until Monday close of business on Monday, I think.

3 responses to “Direct registrations in .uk (again)”

  1. Dominic Cleal Avatar
    Dominic Cleal

    Thanks for bringing this to my attention, response sent!

    Reply
  2. Donald Fraser Avatar
    Donald Fraser

    Nominet Delay .UK Decision until 2015

    The strongest argument against is CO.UK in the medium term is likely to become a legacy product because both Scotland and Wales now aim for separate TLDs. Under ICANN’s new gTLD applications in 2012 Dot Scot Registry Limited (http://www.dot-scot.org) applied for .SCOT & Nominet.UK itself applied for .CYMRU . If awarded, .SCOT rejects Nominet’s authority outright.

    It is not Nominet’s task to hold together the United Kingdom. But neither should it be to stick the boot in. The bets are on that Scotland votes for independency in a 2014 referendum. That will leave CO.UK in the long term as a legacy product, especially since .CYMRU could also quickly become the de facto TLD in Wales because of their language politics. It would only be a matter of time before Nominet would be forced by popular opinion to create .ENG or some other TLD to appease English sentiments.

    None of the above is a problem for CO.UK holders, provided .UK never exists (beyond the odd police.UK!) Significant number of Welsh, and especially Scottish companies, could choose to stick with CO.UK to exploit consumer brand awareness internationally or simply to show their dislike of independency arguments. The same could apply even should .ENG or the like be created. However all such bets are off should .UK be created & if successfully adopted.

    I say “if”. Nominet is reacting to external events to exploit a very small window of opportunity for financial gain. It will fail. The Scots referendum of 2014 & ICANN’s new gTLD applications of 2012 are calling the shots. Unless the 2014 referendum is rejected, which seems unlikely, there is not enough for .UK to be established before it becomes outdated & irrelevant. Should Nominet pursue this course of action proposed, it is unlikely Nominet itself would survive the fallout.

    In addition there is a strong argument eventual global economic recovery will depend on part on TLD reformation. For instance there is a potential role in the Greek currency reversion idea, as outlined on http://www.eurodrachma.de/domain-name-reform.html . More importantly, opponents to ICANN’s global monopoly question their lack of thought over classification & taxation etc. Domain name reform is only just beginning to be understood as the primary vehicle for future economic prosperity rather than a cash cow to be milked willy-nilly by legislative tinkers.

    Nominet must hold steadfast with CO.UK against a background of political & economic uncertainty at home & abroad. As a legacy product, post 2014, CO.UK will serve communities as a unifying force to be trusted as a choice to stick with as .SCOT & other future TLDs are bandied about. Create .UK and you destroy all that, both the long term legacy value of CO.UK & eventually Nominet itself. Now is the time for Nominet to declare that it has properly consulted on this issue and forever consigned it to the dustbin, at least until 2015!

    Reply
  3. Matt Hawkins Avatar
    Matt Hawkins

    Nominet certificates sometimes took over a year to arrive! I only ever got half of them. Like most domain changes it is just a money making scheme.

    Reply

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