gTLD	Full Legal Name	E-mail suffix	Detail
.mcdonalds	McDonald’s Corporation	us.mcd.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 .mcdonalds gTLD are in line with ICANN’s Affirmation of Commitments: to promote consumer trust, competition and consumer choice. McDonald’s also seeks to foster its online reputation and provide an authoritative internet space through which McDonald’s can communicate with its customers directly and effectively. The ability to create second level domain names on demand related to specific marketing and specialty product development supports these goals.


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 .mcdonalds gTLD will make positive contributions to the internet community through:

DIFFERENTIATION:
The .mcdonalds gTLD will simplify how internet users interact with McDonald’s by providing a distinctive domain space with simple navigation and easy access to information. Internet users will be able to directly navigate to the .mcdonalds gTLD site, saving time searching for an official site. By maintaining complete control over the domain names registered under the .mcdonalds domain space, Internet users will be able to rely on the authoritativeness of the domain names under .mcdonalds.

COMPETITION:
The differentiation of .mcdonalds gTLD as a trusted site for McDonald’s will drive TLD registry operators to improve consumer trust of their TLDs. Internet users will be encouraged to interact with domain names under .mcdonalds domain space. As a result, .mcdonalds will have a beneficial effect to enable increased competition. Therefore, the benefits of the proposed .mcdonalds will be distributed not only to its direct customers, but to the community at large encouraging improved services in the market place.

INNOVATION:
With the global expansion of the internet community, the existing TLD structure presents limitations to businesses establishing a coherent global online brand presence to meet their business needs. It is often difficult to register a domain name in the existing domain space due to unavailability of the desired name. This problem is amplified for organisations such as McDonald’s who work across many different geographical markets. Even when the desired domain name is available, it may come with a high price tag associated with a purchase of the desired name from a third party. Through the .mcdonalds registry, McDonald’s will have the ability to create domain names including the use of geographic names and potentially IDNs on demand which are locally relevant to its customer base and innovative new products. McDonald’s 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.


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

The .mcdonalds gTLD will provide a positive user experience, which meets the needs of the global internet community. McDonald’s will maintain control over the registration and use of second level domain names and will ensure that the new gTLD will only be used for purposes authorised by McDonald’s. Therefore .mcdonalds will:

- provide an easy and intuitive reference and access point for internet users;
- represent authenticity thus promoting user confidence;
- direct internet users to locally relevant information and products;
- use appropriate geographic names to connect with internet users in the relevant regions ;
- potentially use IDNs to enable customers to interact in their native language;
- 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.


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 the McDonald’s system will be eligible to register domain names in .mcdonalds. The domain name registration processes will address the requirements mandated by ICANN and will comply with all policy, operational and technical requirements and will adhere to applicable measures to protect customer trust and the stability of the internet.


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.

McDonald’s is committed to protection of personally identifiable and confidential information in accordance with its objective of increasing consumer trust and providing a safe and legitimate internet space for internet users. Personally identifiable and confidential information will be protected in accordance with all applicable US State and Federal laws and regulations relating to internet security, privacy and user’s confidential information, as interpreted and applied, including the Privacy Act 1974 (US). McDonald’s also complies with all applicable data protection laws and regulations in each individual country in which it operates.

As the .mcdonalds gTLD will only be available to the McDonald’s system, 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. McDonald’s will provide a publicly available and searchable WHOIS look up facility in accordance with Specification 4 of the Registry Agreement. To prevent misuse of the WHOIS functionality, McDonald’s 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. 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.


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

McDonald’s currently intends to include the proposed new gTLD in certain advertising communications to drive consumers to the new branded URLs as appropriate for each country or campaign. This may also result in recognition of the new gTLD within the internet community to be a trusted site and as a sign of authenticity.

gTLD	Full Legal Name	E-mail suffix	Detail
.联通	China United Network Communications Corporation Limited	chinaunicom.cn	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 .联通 gTLD are in line with ICANN’s Affirmation of Commitments: to promote consumer trust, competition and consumer choice. China Unicom also seeks to foster its online reputation and provide an authoritative internet space through which China Unicom is able to communicate with its customers directly and effectively on a more personal level. The ability to create domain names on demand related to specific marketing, specialty service and product development supports 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 .联通 gTLD will make positive contributions to the wider internet community by providing:

DIFFERENTIATION (INCREASED TRUST):

The .联通 gTLD will simplify how internet users interact with China Unicom by providing a distinctive domain space. With the proposed .联通 gTLD, internet users will be able to navigate directly to the .联通 gTLD site, allowing China Unicom to provide services on a more professional and unique level relevant to each customer groups such as individual and enterprise customers. The .联通 gTLD will also allow more consumer-friendly and memorable domain names to provide a convenient avenue for internet users to receive services and communicate with China Unicom. The .联通 gTLD intends to improve and streamline customer service through dedicated domain names within the .联通 domain space, in which users will be able to comment and receive feedback from China Unicom concurrently. 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. China Unicom can address some of these vulnerabilities by maintaining complete control over the domain names registered under the .联通 domain space. Being unique to the brand, .联通 will instil more authority and unity by enabling China Unicom to take proactive measures to protect and strengthen its brand image. Together with consumer trust, internet users will be able to rely on the authoritativeness of the domain names under the .联通 domain space, which will differentiate interaction between internet users and China Unicom online.


COMPETITION:

The differentiation of the .联通 gTLD as a trusted site for China Unicom will drive existing and new TLD registry operators to make improvements in mechanisms to improve consumer trust of their TLDs. Internet users will be encouraged to interact with domain names under the .联通 domain space. As a result, .联通 will have a flow on effect to enable increased competition. Therefore, the benefits of the proposed .联通 gTLD 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 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 China Unicom 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. China Unicom has the ability to create second or third level domain names including the use of geographic names and IDNs on demand which are relevant to its customer base, services and products. With memorable and shorter domain names under the .联通 gTLD, China Unicom will be able to increase efficiency through innovative management of its online presence by directing its customers to intuitive domain names relevant to the services and products offered by China Unicom. China Unicom 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 .联通 will provide a positive user experience, which meets the changing and growing needs of the global internet community. China Unicom 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 China Unicom. Therefore, the .联通 gTLD will:

- provide an easy and intuitive reference and access point for internet users by providing them with shorter and more memorable domain names;

- represent authenticity thus promoting user confidence;

- direct internet users to relevant information in a timely manner by creating domain names on demand;

- use IDNs to enable customer to interact directly in their native language;

- use geographic names to localise its 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 consolidating all of China Unicom’s services and products of its different brands under the proposed .联通 gTLD thereby eliminating user confusion; and

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


China Unicom 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 registration policy and the proposed measures for protection of geographic names as outlined in response to Question 22, China Unicom will use geographic names to localise its websites in the relevant territories it operates. 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.


China Unicom will utilise Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) at the second level, initially in Chinese. The use of IDNs will allow internet users to engage with .联通 in their native language, creating a more positive user experience and encouraging diversity. As the use of .联通 evolves, it is anticipated that the use of IDNs may increase within the .联通 domain space.

.联通 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 .联通 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 China Unicom will be eligible to register domain names in .联通 at this stage. The domain name registration processes will address the requirements mandated by ICANN, including rights abuse prevention measures. As the use of the .联通 gTLD expands and evolves, China Unicom may consider expanding the use of the .联通 gTLD at a later date. Such expansion processes will comply with all policy, operational and technical requirements and will adhere to applicable measures to protect customer trust and the stability of the internet.


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.

China Unicom 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 Articles 38, 39 and 40 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Article 253 of the Criminal Code (PRC) and Article 140 of the Republic of China Civil Law General Rule (PRC).

China Unicom has also implemented its own privacy policy to demonstrate its commitment to the protection of user privacy and confidential information. Privacy is of fundamental concern to most of China Unicom’s customers, as such China Unicom has a strong interest in ensuring a high level of privacy protection for its customers. China Unicom has implemented measures such as an employee confidentiality agreement, publishing a network operation and maintenance manual, establishing a user data management authority and introducing billing regulations to protect user information. China Unicom’s privacy policy also covers the following aspects:

- Personal information collection: China Unicom will provide an explanation as to the usage of information prior to the collection of any personal information from its users. China Unicom ensures to collect the necessary information of users in a fair and legitimate way only with the consent of the users and for the sole and legitimate purpose of China Unicom’s business operation and activities.

- Use of personal information: China Unicom limits any use of personal information for its internal business purposes, the daily management and operation of its business and of services and products provided by China Unicom to its customers.

- Disclosure of personal information: China Unicom’s website takes reasonable security measures to protect the personal information provided by the users. Prior to the consent of users, the website will provide no personal information of the users to any unrelated third parties unless legally obliged to do so.


As the .联通 gTLD will only be available to affiliate entities of China Unicom, 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. China Unicom 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, China Unicom 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.

China Unicom will deploy Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) which is intended to benefit both China Unicom and its users interacting with China Unicom 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 .联通 gTLD. China Unicom 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 username password authentication, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption and identity verification via SMS notification.

China Unicom 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 .联通 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 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 utilise the trusted site will contribute towards minimising malicious abuses and protecting internet users.