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

gTLDFull Legal NameE-mail suffixDetail
.studyOPEN UNIVERSITIES AUSTRALIA PTY LTDngtld.webcentral.com.auView
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 .study gTLD are in line with ICANN’s Affirmation of Commitments: to promote consumer trust, competition and consumer choice. OUA also seeks to foster its reputation as the leading provider of its online learning services and provide an authoritative internet space through which OUA and its affiliates are able to communicate with its users directly and effectively. Acknowledged within the Australian market for its online innovation, OUA aims to use the proposed .study gTLD to leverage its market leadership position as an online learning space and drive traffic and business growth for OUA by using .study as a trusted centre of targeted content and information about study options for its prospective students. The .study gTLD will allow its users to identify study topics more quickly and easily by matching their learning interest, career aspirations and lifestyles. OUA also plans to provide second level domain names such as open.study and university.study to assist in generating search-derived traffic for itself and its partner universities. Further, the ability to create personalised domain names on demand and domain names related to the individual study topics OUA provides will support 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 .study gTLD will make positive contributions to the wider internet community, particularly in the online learning space, by providing:


DIFFERENTIATION (INCREASED TRUST):

The .study gTLD will simplify how internet users interact with OUA by providing a distinctive domain space specifically for open online learning. OUA anticipates that the .study gTLD will generate more search-derived traffic from users searching for study options. Such internet users will be able to directly navigate to the .study gTLD site to find the most relevant study option for their studies. By centralising accredited and certified study options, .study will facilitate its users’ decision-making process when investing in their education, saving them time and resources searching for the appropriate studying opportunity tailored to their needs. Further, OUA plans to increase its partnership with other educational institutions in Australia and overseas. The use of the .study gTLD may ultimately be adopted to regulate the education sector from a digital perspective. OUA seeks to establish a global standard in education by developing the .study gTLD to differentiate its offer in online learning among multiple providers. OUA already offers a unique model which enables students to study individual study topics and to commence study without the need for previous study, in most cases, via open entry. 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. OUA can address some of these vulnerabilities by maintaining complete control over the domain names registered under the .study domain space. OUA intends to use .study to ensure that users are able to distinguish OUA’s selected network of education providers and the individual study topics they offer from counterfeiters. Together with consumer trust, internet users will be able to rely on the authoritativeness of the domain names under the .study domain space, which will differentiate interaction between internet users and OUA’s websites.


COMPETITION:

The differentiation of .study gTLD as a trusted online learning site for OUA will drive existing and new TLD registry operators and other education providers to make improvements in mechanisms to improve consumer trust of their TLDs. The ability to market OUA’s offer of individual study topics with the use of the .study gTLD will provide OUA a significant competitive edge as students wishing to find appropriate study options tailored to their needs will be encouraged to interact with domain names under the .study domain space. With a dedicated .study domain space, educational institutions and services providers in the education sector may have increased choices in the registration of domain names. As a result, .study will have a flow on effect to enable increased competition. Therefore, the benefits of the proposed .study gTLD will be distributed not only to its direct customers, but to the internet community at large forcing improved services 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 OUA 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 or be ambiguous and fail to explain the nature of the organisation’s business. With .study, OUA has the ability to create second or third level domain names including the use of geographic names on demand which are relevant to its student base and the individual online study topics that OUA offers. By building its website and future websites with clear domain names such as openuniversities.study and country.study, OUA will be able to convey a clear message that it provides studying options from its partner universities and other accredited education providers. OUA 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 .study gTLD will provide a positive user experience, which meets the changing and growing needs of the global internet community. OUA 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 OUA. Therefore, the .study gTLD will:

- provide an easy and intuitive reference and access point for internet users searching for study options matching their learning interest or career aspirations;

- represent authenticity thus promoting user confidence;

- direct internet users to relevant information in a timely manner by creating domain names such as university.study on demand;

- allow the use of IDNs at a later stage to enable OUA’s current and prospective students to interact directly in their native language;

- use geographic names to localise OUA’s 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 eliminating user confusion; and

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


OUA 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 the registration policy and the proposed measures for protection of geographic names as outlined in response to Question 22, OUA will use geographic names to localise its websites in the Australia and its main territories initially where OUA offers its online studies. OUA plans to expand the use of geographic names to other countries in the Asia Pacific and US regions at a later stage where OUA plans to expand its operations. 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.


At this stage, OUA does not intend to utilise Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) at the second level. However, as the use of the .study gTLD evolves, OUA may wish to utilise IDNs to allow internet users to engage with .study in their native language, creating a more positive user experience and encouraging diversity.

The .study gTLD 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 .study 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 OUA will be eligible to register domain names in .study at this stage. The domain name registration processes will address the requirements mandated by ICANN, including rights abuse prevention measures.


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.

OUA 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 the Privacy Act 1988 (Australia).

Privacy is of fundamental concern to most of OUA’s students as such OUA has a strong interest in ensuring a high level of privacy protection for its users. OUA has implemented its own privacy policy that complies with the 10 National Privacy Principles (NPP) listed under the Privacy Act 1988 (Australia) to demonstrate its commitment to the protection of user privacy and confidential information. OUA’s privacy policy includes provisions regarding:

1. Collection of personal information (NPP 1 & 10): OUA will not collect any personal information unless it is necessary for its functions. OUA will inform a user of the purpose of such a collection when the information is needed.

2. Use and disclosure of personal information (NPP 2): OUA will only use the personal information collected for the purpose informed to the user or otherwise permitted by law.

3. Security and quality of personal information (NPP 3 & 4): OUA takes reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information in its collection is accurate, complete and up-to-date and protects the personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

4. Access to and correction of personal information (NPP 5 & 6): OUA allows its users to access their personal information and request for any correction of such information to be made.

5. Commonwealth Government Identifiers (NPP 7): OUA will issue its own identification numbers instead of using Commonwealth government identifiers (such as health insurance numbers) as its own identifier of individuals to protect the privacy of information provided by its users.

6. Anonymity (NPP 8): OUA allows users not to identify themselves when it is lawful and practicable to do so.

7. Transborder Data Flows (NPP 9): OUA complies with the requirements under law relating to transborder data flows.

8. Sensitive information (NPP 10): OUA will not collect sensitive information about its users without their consent unless permitted by law.


As the .study gTLD will only be available to OUA, 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. OUA 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, OUA 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.

OUA will deploy Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) which is intended to benefit both OUA and its users interacting with OUA 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 .study gTLD. OUA 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 Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) data encryption.

OUA 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 .study 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 may 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.

gTLDFull Legal NameE-mail suffixDetail
.physioPhysBiz Pty Ltdriseley.com.auView
18(B)I. WHAT IS THE GOAL OF YOUR PROPOSED GTLD IN TERMS OF AREAS OF SPECIALTY, SERVICE LEVELS OR REPUTATION?

The creation of the .physio gTLD will allow for increased speciality through its creation of a domain space designed for use specifically by the physio profession. It will provide members of the physio community with greater networking, advocacy, education, fellowship and business enterprising opportunities, as well as an opportunity to communicate with its customers directly and effectively. The .physio gTLD intends to create greater awareness of the physio profession and to strengthen the reputation of the physio profession through the creation of a reliable online space for the physio community. Further, it is hoped that the creation of an industry specific physio internet space will increase the service levels, relevance and accuracy of information that is available to the broader community of internet users, thus contributing towards a more 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 .physio gTLD will make positive contributions to the wider internet community by providing:


DIFFERENTIATION (INCREASED TRUST):

The .physio gTLD will simplify how internet users interact with the physio industry by providing a distinctive domain space. Internet users will be able to directly navigate to the .physio gTLD site, saving time and effort searching for authentic sites, professionals and information. 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. .physio can address some of these limitations by maintaining a high degree of control over the domain names registered under the .physio domain space, in accordance with the registration policy. The .physio gTLD will provide greater user confidence in the information that users receive on the internet, as registrants must meet eligibility requirements, as set out in the registration policy, which includes the registrant’s involvement in the physio industry. Together with consumer trust, internet users will be able to rely on the authoritativeness of the domain names under the .physio domain space, which will differentiate interaction between internet users and the physio profession and its related businesses.


COMPETITION:

The differentiation of .physio gTLD as a trusted site for the physio profession will drive existing and new TLD registry operators to make improvements in mechanisms to improve consumer trust of their TLDs. The .physio gTLD will encourage internet users to interact with domain names under the .physio domain space in connection with information and resources for the physio industry. The existing TLD registry operators and physio professionals relying on the existing domain name system will be required to address and overcome some of the shortfalls of the existing system. As a result, the benefits of the proposed .physio will be distributed not only to industry professionals or its direct customers interacting with an industry specific gTLD, but to the internet community at large, through improved services and competitive pricing in the market place.


INNOVATION:

With the expansion of the internet community, the existing gTLD structure presents limitations, in particular in terms of the ability for registrants to register relevant domain names. These limitations are reflected in the difficulties in registering appropriate domain names, as well as determining authentic information associated with professional organisations and businesses. .physio intends to overcome some of the shortcomings of the existing domain names system through the registration of second and third level domains by registrants that are verified to be part of the physio profession by satisfying the eligibility criteria in accordance with the registration policy. The .physio gTLD will present an authoritative internet space in which the physio industry participants may create domain names that are relevant to its customer base, services and products. .physio therefore presents an innovative approach to interaction with the physio profession and associated businesses, addressing the currently unmet needs in the domain name system in terms of consumer choice.


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

CURRENT CHALLENGES:

Today, internet users experience difficulty in locating legitimate businesses or assessing the accuracy of information on the internet due to user confusion. This confusion stems from both malicious registrants as well as by legitimate businesses. Businesses evolve over time and some businesses (including trademark or service mark holders) have difficulties registering their business name as a domain name due to unavailability of desired domain names in the existing internet space. .physio intends to reduce the effects of these challenges by providing an authoritative domain space for physio professionals and business to register their domains and for internet users to access industry specific information.

POSITIVE USER EXPERIENCE:

The proposed new gTLD is anticipated to provide a positive user experience, which meets the changing and growing needs of the global internet community. PhysBiz will maintain control in the registration and use of domain names and will ensure that the .physio gTLD will only be used for purposes in accordance with the mission and purpose of providing a reliable internet space for the physio industry and its participants. Therefore, .physio gTLD will:

- provide an easy and intuitive reference and access point for internet users seeking accurate information in relation to the physio industry;

- represent authenticity thus promoting user confidence;

- direct internet users to relevant information;

- use of geographic names to localise relevant World Confederation for Physical Therapy Member Organisation 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 the reputation of the physio profession and user confidence by eliminating user confusion through the efficient provision of information; and

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

The .physio gTLD should address the concerns with the current domain name system, which 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 proposed gTLD is anticipated to reduce any potential abuses in the registration processes thus reducing overall costs to internet users. Elimination of user confusion and potential for malicious abuse will strengthen user confidence in the domain name system, 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.

Registrations under the .physio gTLD will be open to eligible registrants (physiotherapists, physical therapists, professional associations, physiotherapy students, physio assistants or aides and businesses that provide goods⁄services to the physio profession), in accordance with the eligibility criteria outlined in the registration policy. Potential registrants that meet the eligibility criteria will be required to provide evidence to support its eligibility, which will be regularly audited for compliance.

In addition, the domain name registration processes in the proposed new gTLD will address the requirements as mandated by ICANN, including but not limited to, minimum rights abuse prevention measures such as the use of the Trademark Clearinghouse.

If registrants are found in breach of the terms and conditions in the registration policy, the registry will be able to exercise the right to suspend or cancel the registration of the domain name.


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.

PhysBiz is committed to the protection of privacy and confidential information in accordance with its mission and purpose of the proposed new gTLD, fostering increased consumer trust through 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 the Privacy Act 1988 (Australia) and the National Privacy Principles (Australia). The .physio gTLD will develop a privacy policy and practice intended to protect the personal data of its registrants and internet users. The privacy policy will be detailed in full and posted on its website. The .physio gTLD and its policy will comply with the Specification 9, subsection 1(e), of the Registry Operator Code of Conduct contained within the Registry Agreement.

PhysBiz 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, PhysBiz 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.

PhysBiz will deploy Doman Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC),which is intended to benefit both registrants and its users interacting with .physio 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 .physio gTLD.

Further, PhysBiz will comply with all security measures, 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 against misuse, loss, alteration and unauthorised access in the new .physio 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, representing the physio profession and related businesses. Promotion of the .physio gTLD will be focused toward the physiotherapy associations, which represent over 50% of physios. Consultations and group sessions will be run to discuss and further develop use policies with the professional associations. Through the engagement of professional associations and their contribution to its development they can then aid its marketability and future success both in principal and commercial terms. Other forms of advertising will include web based marketing and niche marketing, such as the current use of dotphysio.com.