ICANN is in the middle of plans for launching new gTLDs. I'm serving on a team called the STI to consider mechanisms to protect IP rights. These are important issues - Overarching Issues, ICANN calls it - which create a lot of interest and controversy. ICANN's public face provides assurance to brand owners. A September 22, 2009 letter to the House Committee on the Judiciary states:

"ICANN will, to the extent possible, protect trademark holders from abusive registrations and from the need for defensive registrations in new gTLDs. . ."

Persons attending the ICANN meetings in Sydney and Seoul this year, however, may question the strength of that commitment.

We hope ICANN will live up to this public commitment, but there's no certainty at this point. If you care about brand protection, let the ICANN leadership know. Send in your comments today.