Domain Name Experts Discuss Policy, Future Of New Internet Top-level Domains

Representatives of ICANN, MarkMonitor and Donuts discuss the future of the new gTLD program at a Donuts-sponsored panel

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Donuts Inc., a registry for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), yesterday hosted a panel discussion aimed at bringing Washington policymakers, journalists and influencers up to speed on the status and future of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers' New gTLD Program.

Moderated by Bloomberg BNA journalist Amy Bivins, and featuring experts with combined decades of experience in the domain name space, the panel covered the history of the new gTLD program, as well as exploring the latest developments on policy, business and implementation. The panel provided a range of viewpoints on the topic, with participation from ICANN, MarkMonitor and Donuts.

"Lawmakers and influencers in Washington have rightly taken an increased interest in the new gTLD program as we enter the consumer-facing phase of the program," Donuts Co-Founder Jon Nevett said. "It is incumbent upon us to help them understand the depth and breadth of the policy development that went into creating the program we have today."

Joining Nevett on the panel were Jamie Hedlund, who heads ICANN's Washington office and Kiran Malancharuvil, Internet Policy Counselor for MarkMonitor, a company that works to protect brand and trademark owners in the Internet addressing system.

Issues addressed at the event ranged from intellectual property protection to new mechanisms for trademark holders to emergent business models that may be spurred by new gTLDs. Panelists also gave their prognostications for the ICANN meeting slated to take place in Buenos Aires later this month.

About Donuts Inc.
Donuts is a domain name registry that is widening competition and choice in Internet identities through hundreds of new top-level domain name choices, securely operated in multiple languages and character sets. Donuts is headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., with offices in Southern California, Washington, D.C. and London.  For more information, please visit www.donuts.co.

SOURCE Donuts Inc.