18(b) How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?

Prototypical answer:

i) Goal of the .archi new gTLD

The .archi gTLD will serve a community restricted to:
- Architects who are members of the International Union of Architects (UIA);
- Architecture Firms that employ one or more architects who are members of the UIA;
- Companies or associations that employ one or more architects who are members of the UIA;
- List of architecture schools, museums, professional press⁄media, defined by the .archi Policy Advisory Committee in collaboration with the UIA and its member sections.

The UIA is a federation of national professional organizations called Member Sections. The UIA Member Section in a country is the most representative professional organization of architects in that country. Each Member Section is independent on a national level and is, vis-a-vis the UIA, responsible for its relationship with governments, the other Member Sections, and the Union itself.

Members of the architectural profession are dedicated to standards of professionalism, integrity, and competence, and thereby bring to society unique skills and aptitudes essential to the sustainable development of the built environment and the welfare of their societies and cultures. Principles of professionalism are established in legislation, as well as in codes of ethics and regulations defining professional conduct for architects. These rules and standards aim to protect consumers from fraud and abusive behavior.

Legislation and regulations, however, are disrupted on the Internet, since anyone is able to falsely impersonate himself as an architect, and purport to be an architect.

By applying restrictive eligibility policies, defined in collaboration with the architecture community, Starting Dot will, to the contrary, enforce such legislation and regulation within its .archi gTLD.

As a secure and community-specific gTLD, the .archi gTLD will help architects fulfill their professional and ethical obligations to consumers and the general public, and increase consumer trust in architectural services.

Starting Dot has identified a total of 1.3 million architects, organizations and companies that are eligible to register a domain name under the .archi gTLD and expects to achieve a market penetration of 1.6% after 3 years of operation of the proposed gTLD (which equals about 21,000 domain name registrations).

ii) Key differentiation factors brought by the .archi new gTLD

Architects are required to devote time to maintaining existing skills, broadening knowledge, and exploring new areas. This is increasingly important to keep abreast of new technologies, methods of practice, and changing social conditions.

The Internet has developed into a new communication and distribution channel that cannot be ignored by the architectural profession.

Historically, architects have had their work exposed most publicly through specialty publications. The Internet creates a platform where even a sole practitioner can gain worldwide exposure for his or her work.

As a business investment, the establishment of a website is currently one of the most cost-effective marketing and communication tools available to architects in terms of reach
and exposure to potential clients.

On the downside, within existing TLDs, accurate information related to architecture is often deeply buried in a huge amount of unstructured information.

A key aim and utility of the .archi gTLD will be to provide a domain name space strictly dedicated to the architectural profession and restricted to qualified architects and their immediate environment (e.g. media and press, architectural education).

Accordingly, the .archi gTLD will serve as a unique, safe online-platform to conduct business and to search architecture related content.

Architects are also eager to integrate new technologies into their practice, as shown by the current International Union of Architects (UIA)–led project to develop a new data exchange program for architects (Building Information Modeling - BIM).

The .archi gTLD will increase Internet technology adoption within the architectural profession and thereby provide a new communication tool.

iii) Goals of the .archi gTLD in terms of user experience

A. BENEFITS OF THE .ARCHI GTLD FOR ARCHITECTS AND THEIR IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT

Architecture is a highly regulated profession. The designation “architect” is generally reserved by law or custom to a person who is professionally and academically qualified and generally registered⁄licensed⁄certified to practice architecture in the jurisdiction in which he or she practices.

Architects, whether self employed or employees, are generally controlled by a regulating body in charge of ensuring that laws, decrees, and professional standards are applied and observed by all members of the profession.

Existing TLDs do not enforce such legislation and regulations and, as a consequence, this may affect the profession’s credibility on the Internet.

Through its restrictive eligibility policies, the .archi gTLD will be compliant with existing legislations and provide a safe, secure and unique web experience.

Due to the scarcity of space within the Domain Name System, many established and newly established architects have not been able to register the domain name they initially wanted.

The .archi gTLD will offer an entirely new pool of domain names that are available for registration.

As a common identifier, the .archi gTLD will also promote a sense of community identity within the architectural profession.

B. BENEFITS OF THE .ARCHI GTLD FOR THE PUBLIC

Architects are dedicated to serve their clients and society.

Architectural services like construction planning and construction monitoring are widely used by both, households and professionals.

In March 2012 Google AdWords Keyword Tool has registered more than 2.2 million requests for the word “architect” and 1.8 million requests for the term “archi”.

Even though Internet has clearly become a source of information on architecture, theses numbers are still too small when compared with other industries.

Through its restrictive eligibility policies, the .archi gTLD will improve consumer trust in online architecture content and, therefore, increase online traffic related to architecture.

The .archi gTLD will offer consumers a unique and safe web experience, as only secured, controlled and accurate information will be featured.

iv) .archi intended registration policies

In the operation of its proposed restricted .archi gTLD, Starting Dot intends to implement all current and future ICANN policies.

Accordingly, Starting Dot will follow ICANN’s policies with respect to dispute resolution, including the adoption of the Uniform Dispute resolution Policy, as the same may be amended from time to time.

In addition, Starting Dot will design a specific dispute resolution procedure to address situations in which there is objectively clear abuse of:
- A company name;
- A personal name;
- A professional name;
- A name with national or geographic significance.

C. ELIGIBILITY

Applicants of a .archi domain name will have to be verifiable participants in the architecture scene and each name applied for will have to be a name to which there is a right that has been established through registration or use thereof. Such rights can consist of, but are not necessarily limited to, registered or unregistered trademarks, trade names, company names, business identifiers, etc. insofar and to the extent protected by the laws of the country in which the applicant for the .archi domain name resides, has been established or conducts business activities.

Participation in the architecture scene will have to be certified at the time the registrant applies for or register the domain name, which implies the acceptance of the domain name registration policies.

Verifiable participants in the architecture scene must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Architect member of the International Union of Architects (UIA);
- Architecture Firm that employs one or more architects members of the UIA;
- Company or associations that employs one or more architects members of the UIA;
- Being included in a list of architecture schools, museums, professional press⁄media, defined by the .archi Policy Advisory Committee in collaboration with the UIA and its member sections.

Starting Dot reserves the right to extend its eligibility criteria to national Architects Associations that are not currently members of the UIA.

Starting Dot believes that these eligibility requirements will be a key impediment for registrants who are seeking to engage in abusive registrations and cyber-squatting

Starting Dot has defined a list of reserved and prohibited domain names under the .archi gTLD. Reserved names are domain names reserved for special use or for special organizations. Prohibited names are names that may not be registered under the .archi gTLD.

D. RESERVED NAMES

Unless agreed upon otherwise in writing with ICANN, Starting Dot will comply with restrictions on registration of character strings set forth at Specification 5 of the Registry Operator Agreement.

Starting Dot also intends to define and control a list of domain names that have a value for the entire architectural profession, in order to delegate them to those registrants who are committing to use these in order to support the community for which the .archi gTLD is initially intended.

Hence, one character labels and a list of generic names will be reserved by Starting Dot and released at its sole discretion.

Starting Dot will define the list of reserved names in collaboration with the .archi gTLD Policy Advisory Committee.

E. PROHIBITED NAMES

The list of prohibited names under the .archi gTLD includes, in particular:
- Abusive terms;
- Racist terms;
- Obscene terms;
- Terms relating to crime or offenses.

F. THIRD-LEVEL NAMES

Starting Dot does not intend to allow third-level name registrations under the .archi gTLD.

G. ILLEGAL USE AND COMPLIANCE

Use of a domain name that is barred or prohibited by law or legal proceeding in any jurisdiction, or is considered to be defamatory will permit Starting Dot to revoke the domain name. Policies to this end will be developed by the registry and published in due time following ICANN’s delegation of the .archi gTLD to Starting Dot.

H. ENFORCEMENT

The .archi domain name registration policies will contain the following enforcement procedures and processes, in addition to those procedures that have been established in accordance with Consensus Policies such as the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy:
- Verification of entitlement of the registrant at the time of registration of a domain name, and this on a sample basis; and
- Ongoing verification throughout the term of the domain name registration.

In principle, Starting Dot will conduct random quarterly controls on a sample basis of .archi domain name registrants. Starting Dot will verify whether a registrant meets the eligibility requirements and⁄or domain name restrictions on the basis of public information, such as the information displayed on the registrant’s website, as well as other sources, in particular authentication of architect’s membership in one of the UIA’s Member Section or inclusion in a list established by the Policy Advisory Committee in collaboration with the UIA and its Member Sections (for eligible architecture schools, professional press⁄media, museums). When in doubt, the Registry Operator will put the domain name on hold, and contact the registrant and the registrar with the request to provide proof that the registrant is meeting such requirements within a reasonable timeframe.

Furthermore, Starting Dot’s Complaints Point of Contact will handle any complaints in relation to a .archi domain name registration, including where the complainant alleges that a particular registrant does not meet the eligibility requirements or domain name restrictions.
If, following the investigation of a complaint or an ex officio review of the registrant’s compliance with the Registry Operator’s policies, no or insufficient proof is provided by the registrant that all policy requirements have been complied with, Starting Dot shall be entitled to put the domain name on hold or even revoke the domain name. Furthermore, Starting Dot may inform the public that the domain name has been previously used contrary to its registration policies.

v) Measures for protecting the privacy or confidential information of registrants

Starting Dot is committed to being a responsible participant in the efforts of the Internet community to balance the need for data privacy with the need to provide access to records that allow the public to identify and contact domain name holders. To that end, Starting Dot will strive to maintain open access to registrant information to the extent compatible with applicable privacy laws.

In the operation of the .archi gTLD, Starting Dot will offer a thick WHOIS service as set forth in Specification 4 of Registry Operator Agreement. Providing true, current, complete and accurate contact information will be a condition of domain name registration under the .archi gTLD. The use of proxy domain name registration will be prohibited.

The data collected by registrars during domain name registration will be published in the .archi gTLD WHOIS database. This information will provide the public with the ability to get in touch with the domain name holder for any reason that requires actions to be taken. In this operation, Starting Dot will be compliant with applicable privacy laws.

In addition, Starting Dot will require registrars to post privacy policies that provide clear and complete notice to registrants of the type of data that will be collected and maintained by Starting Dot, the use of such data in operating the registry service (including display through the WHOIS service), and the registrant’s right to access and correct data maintained by Starting Dot. Clear consent to such data practices will be a prerequisite to the submission of a domain name registration request.

Starting Dot will take reasonable steps to protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorized disclosure, alteration or destruction. Starting Dot will prevent the abuse of data through the .archi domain name registration policies and by implementing technical restrictions set forth in our response to Question 26 of this application.

vi) Marketing and communications strategy to promote the .archi new gTLD

Starting Dot’s goal is to introduce the .archi gTLD as a “must-have” for all architects and organizations in their immediate environment that already have a presence or want a presence on the Internet.

To achieve its goal, Starting Dot will build awareness of the .archi gTLD on a global basis and educate the community about the benefits of the .archi gTLD.

Starting Dot intends to promote and implement the new .archi gTLD in all key markets through a dedicated marketing department, managed by a prominent TLD marketing figure.
Starting Dot’s priority target for the marketing of its .archi gTLD are web-savvy business users, defined as business organizations having one (or more than one) domain name registration in an existing top-level domain. Inside its priority target, Starting Dot has identified three specific segments:
-124 UIA Member sections;
- Top 100 architect firms;
- Newly established companies or individuals facing the unavailability of the domain name corresponding to their name, brand or trade name in existing TLDs.

Through its co-operative marketing plan, Starting Dot will encourage registrars to promote the gTLD in their local markets.

Starting Dot intends to involve the UIA and its Member Sections in the promotion and marketing of the new .archi gTLD.

Architecture schools will also promote the new .archi gTLD, as each student will be given a subdomain within the school’s corresponding .archi domain name. That way, Starting Dot will be able to identify future potential registrants.

Finally, a massive awareness campaign via online media (e.g. display advertising, interactive and email marketing) and event marketing (e.g. exhibitions) will establish the credibility of the .archi gTLD in the marketplace.

Regardless of the marketing or communication vehicle, the messaging will always be consistent: the .archi gTLD will deliver a safer user experience, promote healthy and free competition and offer businesses the ability to expand their reach and increase consumer trust.

Similar gTLD applications: (3)