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

Prototypical answer:

18b (i)
Registrants and Internet Users will benefit from the .ONLINE TLD as a generic, available, relevant and memorable alternative to existing gTLD’s.
DotOnline intends at all times to be stakeholder-centric, incorporating the needs of registrants and registrar partners accordingly, while maintaining our stewardship of the .ONLINE TLD in accordance with ICANN policies and our mission⁄purpose. As the .ONLINE TLD is generic, DotOnline will operate the registry with strict anti-abuse provisions and policies to prevent malicious use of the .ONLINE TLD.
DotOnline intends to operate the registry with the highest levels of service, and to closely monitor and mitigate potential abuse in order to establish .ONLINE as a trusted TLD for all-purpose general Internet use. DotOnline plans to ensure that the reputation of the .ONLINE TLD is not tarnished by malicious registrants.
18b (ii) The .ONLINE string is immediately apprehended by most minds as eminently related to the Internet, and the word is now a part of the common vernacular. Registrants will no doubt benefit from the introduction of the .ONLINE TLD into the Internet namespace, simply due to the increase in available keyword strings paired with a memorable, relevant TLD string. Competition and differentiation on the Internet will be enhanced by the introduction of the .ONLINE TLD as registrants will have more choice and more opportunity to utilize domain keyword strings that previously were unavailable in existing TLD’s.
18b (iii) The .ONLINE user experience will be enhanced due to the positioning of the TLD as an open, relevant and memorable term extension. The primary benefit of the .ONLINE TLD space is the availability of keywords, enhancing registrant choice and providing a superior experience to registrants who are likely to find a suitable string that otherwise may not be found in an existing gTLD or ccTLD.
The primary goals of the .ONLINE TLD user experience are to provide an open and free namespace for registrant use, and to protect the space from malicious abuse by bad actors. Significant policies and safeguards put in place by DotOnline to protect registrants. Operational policies stipulate immediate action against malicious abuse, including random sampling and pro-active monitoring of suspicious registrations. Registration and anti-abuse policies are constantly updated to reflect current threats and malicious actions. Data protection and privacy standards are in place to ensure safety of confidential user and registrant data.
18b (iv)
In order to reach our goal of an open yet secure TLD namespace, DotOnline has implemented various safeguards, measures and policies. We have developed these policies in conjunction with the latest technological advances, while keeping in mind critical requirements of user privacy and data protection. The .ONLINE TLD will launch with standard registration rules in place such as grace-periods, which are explained in more detail in our technical answer #27, and standard rights-protection and IP mechanisms, which are explained in questions #28 and #29.
Names will be reserved under premium, second-level, and rights-protection methods and processes, which are detailed in our technical responses. Country-territory and other second-level names will be reserved per ICANN requirements and various registry operations purposes.
Trademark Clearing-House services will be implemented during rights-protection phases (such as Sunrise) in accordance with ICANN guidance and specifications. DotOnline plans on implementing three specific launch phases in the same manner as previous successful gTLD launches: Sunrise, Landrush and General Availability. Auctions may be implemented to resolve multiple applications in Sunrise or Landrush phases, and in the GA phase domains are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The DotOnline Anti-Abuse policy applies to all registrants and is incorporated in our registration agreement. It aims to prevent malicious abuse of the TLD namespace by enforcing take-down of domains in case of malicious activity in contravention of the policy. Further details on our policies, including details on compliance and enforcement are specified in our technical answers. We intend to adhere to ICANN requirements and policies in terms of abuse resolution and mitigation mechanisms.
18b (v) Privacy and the protection of confidential data of users and registrants is paramount when operating a TLD registry; .ONLINE and our Back End Registry Provider intend to use best practices to manage these aspects of the registry, including specific WHOIS protections, WHOIS accuracy compliance efforts, and using WHOIS abuse best practices (for example, incorporating those as presented by ICANN at the recent Costa Rica meeting).
Data protection capabilities and safeguards for our users, registrars and potential registrants are explained in detail within our technical responses.
Outreach and communications will be critical in order for potential registrants to become aware of the .ONLINE TLD and transition to registrants. In order to communicate the projected benefits of the .ONLINE TLD, DotOnline plans to leverage various forms of advertising and media, including social media, to reach potential registrants. We expect to work closely with our registrar partners to communicate the benefits of .ONLINE to their customers via the registrar channel, and DotOnline provide collateral and incentives for same. We believe the generic nature of the .ONLINE TLD will lend itself naturally to wide registrar distribution and subsequent significant registrant awareness.

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