Last Friday I attended, as an individual observer, a meeting of the Intellectual Property Constituency of the Domain Name Supporting Organization. This body is an organ of ICANN, the newly-formed entity to which the US government is assigning administration of the Internet domain name system. Its function is to advise ICANN on how to promote intellectual property in the development of domain name registration rules and policy. As many of you probably know, this process has been extremely contentious and is fundamentally important to the continued vitality of the Internet.
The membership of the IPC consists of representatives from IP industry organizations, such as the RIAA, MPAA, ASCAP, and BMI. Also represented are IP attorney organizations, such as the ABA-IPL, AIPLA, and INTA. These groups, understandably from their perspective, are advocating broad expansions of IP rights on the Internet, including the implementation of mandatory online arbitration for all IP-related disputes arising out of domain name registrations, and the maintenance of a publicly accessible database of domain name holders, without regard to the privacy and anonymity issues that have been raised.
I was very troubled to learn that the academic IP community is completely unrepresented in this group. Clearly the inclusion of IP academia would help to create a far more balanced advisory body.
I would strongly urge anyone interested in contributing to this important process to see the http://www.dnso.org webpage, and to contact the Interim President, Jonathan Cohen at <drvcarrington[_at_]echelon.ca>
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