.cancerresearch Domain Information
Applicant Full Legal Name
Australian Cancer Research Foundation
Legal Establishment
Australian Public Company limited by guarantee - Non Profit Company, Charitable Institution
Applicant Address
Suite 409, Level 4, Strand Arcade
412 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000
AU
State Jurisdiction
National Companies and Securities Commission, Companies (New South Wales) Code (Sub-section 35(2)), Australia Australian Taxation Office, Subdivision 50-B of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997
Applicant Website
http://www.acrf.com.au
Applied for gTLD
CANCERRESEARCH
Mission/Purpose of Domain Extension
MISSION/PURPOSE OF THE .CANCERRESEARCH TLD The applicant for the .cancerresearch TLD is the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF), a foundation dedicated to helping find the cures for cancer through continuous funding for world class cancer research in Australia. The cancer charity... Read more
MISSION/PURPOSE OF THE .CANCERRESEARCH TLD
The applicant for the .cancerresearch TLD is the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF), a foundation dedicated to helping find the cures for cancer through continuous funding for world class cancer research in Australia. The cancer charity foundation is dedicated to finding cures and best treatments for this devastating disease which affects one in three Australians. The mission/purpose of the .cancerresearch TLD is to strengthen awareness of cancer and cancer research within Australia as well as create a portal for further fundraising activities in the future and increasing the profile of the organisation.
In applying for the .cancerresearch TLD, the ACRF will be able to promote its services and interact with the public through a dedicated, targeted and authentic forum, thereby directly benefiting the wider research community.
As a philanthropic organisation that is dependent on the support from its donors and supporters and that provides direct benefits to its chosen cancer research centres, this TLD will serve to complement existing methods of communication between the organisation, the public and stakeholders, by creating authoritative channel for online communication.
The strategic importance embodying the ACRF's vision stems from its ultimate goal to create an authoritative sphere, dedicated solely to provision of cutting edge information, awareness and fundraising services dedicated to its communities and finding cures and best treatments for cancers. As such, the operation of the .cancerresearch TLD as the authoritative online space for promoting ACRF's mission and vision is within the ambit of ACRF's existing functions.
The registration of .cancerresearch domain names will be restricted to entities affiliated with ACRF. This restriction is recognition of the role of these entities as chief advocates for promoting the cancer research for the benefit of the ACRF, donors, beneficiaries and the wider Internet community, and facilitates the establishment of official and authoritative channels of online communication.
Further to this, the .cancerresearch TLD will allow domain name registrations by the various divisions of the organisation, as well as domain name registrations in respect of individual campaigns and initiatives. These domain name registrations will be utilised to further market the ACRF brand in support of the ACRF's core strategy whilst providing a home for the ACRF brand on the Internet.
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The applicant for the .cancerresearch TLD is the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF), a foundation dedicated to helping find the cures for cancer through continuous funding for world class cancer research in Australia. The cancer charity foundation is dedicated to finding cures and best treatments for this devastating disease which affects one in three Australians. The mission/purpose of the .cancerresearch TLD is to strengthen awareness of cancer and cancer research within Australia as well as create a portal for further fundraising activities in the future and increasing the profile of the organisation.
In applying for the .cancerresearch TLD, the ACRF will be able to promote its services and interact with the public through a dedicated, targeted and authentic forum, thereby directly benefiting the wider research community.
As a philanthropic organisation that is dependent on the support from its donors and supporters and that provides direct benefits to its chosen cancer research centres, this TLD will serve to complement existing methods of communication between the organisation, the public and stakeholders, by creating authoritative channel for online communication.
The strategic importance embodying the ACRF's vision stems from its ultimate goal to create an authoritative sphere, dedicated solely to provision of cutting edge information, awareness and fundraising services dedicated to its communities and finding cures and best treatments for cancers. As such, the operation of the .cancerresearch TLD as the authoritative online space for promoting ACRF's mission and vision is within the ambit of ACRF's existing functions.
The registration of .cancerresearch domain names will be restricted to entities affiliated with ACRF. This restriction is recognition of the role of these entities as chief advocates for promoting the cancer research for the benefit of the ACRF, donors, beneficiaries and the wider Internet community, and facilitates the establishment of official and authoritative channels of online communication.
Further to this, the .cancerresearch TLD will allow domain name registrations by the various divisions of the organisation, as well as domain name registrations in respect of individual campaigns and initiatives. These domain name registrations will be utilised to further market the ACRF brand in support of the ACRF's core strategy whilst providing a home for the ACRF brand on the Internet.
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Benefits
GOALS OF THE .CANCERRESEARCH TLD The following six goals have been identified as goals of the .cancerresearch TLD: REPUTATIONAL GOALS 1 CREATE AN AUTHORITATIVE TLD One of the goals of the .cancerresearch TLD is to develop a reputation as the authoritative online point of reference for the ACRF... Read more
GOALS OF THE .CANCERRESEARCH TLD
The following six goals have been identified as goals of the .cancerresearch TLD:
REPUTATIONAL GOALS
1 CREATE AN AUTHORITATIVE TLD
One of the goals of the .cancerresearch TLD is to develop a reputation as the authoritative online point of reference for the ACRF brand, which donors, beneficiaries and Internet users will intuitively navigate to and trust.
ACRF intends to request an exemption from clause 1b of the Registry Operator Code of Conduct (Specification 9) pursuant to clause 6 of the Code of Conduct to enable it to register domain names in its own right in this TLD. Registrations will not be made commercially available; all domain name registrations in the TLD will be registered to and maintained by the ACRF for its own exclusive use. ACRF will not sell, distribute or transfer control or use of any registration in the TLD to any third party that is not an Affiliate, as that term is defined in clause 2.9(c) of the Registry Agreement.
It is thus planned that the TLD will be exclusively operated and controlled by ACRF on behalf of the ACRF brand; as such, it will leverage the power of the ACRF brand to promote the .cancerresearch TLD as the single point-of-reference for the ACRF brand online. The .cancerresearch TLD will serve to reduce confusion for Internet users and also reduce the likelihood for their detriment by interacting with online entities that falsely or fraudulently purport to either represent the ACRF brand, or in some cases, impersonate the brand online. Users will therefore have confidence that content within the .cancerresearch online sphere is genuine, legitimate and secure.
ACRF will ensure that the content of the .cancerresearch namespace conforms to its well-defined terms of use and registration pertaining to Internet policies.
This goal to be an authoritative TLD will be achieved by ensuring all registrations and content will be strictly authorised and controlled by ACRF immediately upon creation of the TLD.
A benefit for the ACRF will be the strengthening of the ACRF brand via the provision of a coherent brand information channel and a reduction of the risk of consumers being misled by unauthorised or infringing content. Having this authoritative TLD will create an Internet ‘lighthouse' that clearly displays to consumers and Internet users without doubt that its websites are approved by ACRF.
Such an authoritative TLD may deliver financial benefits to the organisation by potentially reducing the need for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) costs, resulting from marketing spend and labour not being devoted to this activity. In addition, costs related to the maintenance of domain name registrations to promote the brand in various TLDs may, over time, be reduced as they become unnecessary.
Internet users, donors and beneficiaries will benefit by having certainty that all content within the .cancerresearch TLD is authorised and organisation-approved. Within a single TLD, visitors to .cancerresearch domain names will be able to access information about the ACRF brand, research and events, which will be unmistakably defined by clear, logical domain names. The added confidence inherent in the ACRF brand being the only eligible registrant will ensure a direct and trusted line of communication between consumers and the ACRF brand. Internet users can be assured that any information they access through the .cancerresearch TLD is legitimate and supported by the strong reputation of ACRF brand.
Surveys will be conducted by the ACRF to assess a site user's experience, alongside assessment of the authority and suitability of the information that .cancerresearch conveys.
The authoritative TLD goal will be considered achieved when the majority of survey responses in a reporting cycle reveal a positive, trusting experience in using .cancerresearch websites.
2 BUILD BRAND
Following the introduction of the .cancerresearch TLD, efforts will shift to focusing on migrating content from existing domain name portfolios across to the .cancerresearch TLD. This will begin to build the reputation of the TLD in the industry and public consciousness and consequently increase the ACRF brand. External campaigns will promote the .TLD and drive traffic to .cancerresearch websites only.
The promotion of .cancerresearch-based websites provides an efficient marketing model that encompasses both the brand and activities provided by the organisation. This is a far more efficient marketing approach than that currently employed - usage of existing TLDs which are neither intrinsically activity nor brand-related.
The benefit to the ACRF will be in enabling internal departments, events and initiatives to register, via an ICANN-accredited Registrar, brand-supportive domain names. ACRF will be able to use these registrations to represent ACRF events and strategic initiatives in support of the ACRF core strategy and mission/purpose of the .cancerresearch TLD. Ultimately, the organisation will benefit from maintaining a more easily marketable online identity.
A website under the .cancerresearch TLD will assure Internet users that they are accessing authoritative and reliable ACRF brand information. As such, it is anticipated that more traffic will be directed to sites within the .cancerresearch TLD and away from unreliable and illegitimate websites purporting to provide information relating to ACRF brand and its services.
Surveys will be conducted to measure the impact of the introduction of the .cancerresearch TLD against the brand's existing domain name portfolio. Visit metrics will be utilised to measure the volume of traffic on .cancerresearch websites and subsequently compared to traffic data of the current domain name portfolio.
3 CONTROL
Having the .cancerresearch TLD under the control of ACRF is an additional goal. This will be achieved when the TLD is delegated for use by ICANN and the internal policies described in this application are in place to manage the registration of domain names. As mentioned above, this creates numerous benefits to the organisation, the industry (both researchers and donors), beneficiaries and the wider Internet community.
Many benefits are similar to the above statements around trust and genuine content, but in addition to these, in meeting this goal of control, ACRF sees additional benefits such as:
Adaptability
As the Registry Operator, ACRF will benefit from having ultimate control of the TLD and the policy that underpins it. This will enable policy to be developed that serves the mission and purpose of the TLD but, at the same time, allows it to adapt to support the future direction of the ACRF brand on the Internet.
Being in control of the TLD gives ACRF the comfort of knowing any future initiatives will have a dedicated TLD to reside in. It allows the organisation a platform from which to innovate or adapt to any changes in Internet policy or best practice. Being in control of the TLD also gives ACRF the ability to change direction and approach, quickly and in line with the organisation's current goals for the ACRF brand.
Availability
Being in control of the TLD will enable ACRF to register domain names without the need to compete within other TLDs and ccTLDs. This will benefit the organisation by allowing key initiatives to be supported by shorter and more relevant domain names that are easy to remember. Thus, consumers and Internet users will be able to intuitively navigate and find relevant domain names which can be trusted as authoritative from ACRF on behalf of the ACRF brand.
The benefits to the public will be similar to those mentioned above. As also mentioned above, surveys will be used to measure user experience and determine that the goal of control has been met.
4 LEADERSHIP
Another goal of the TLD is to promote and identify the ACRF as a forward thinking charity which uses technology effectively to be a leader on the road to the ultimate goal of a cures and treatments for cancers.
By securing the .cancerresearch TLD, ACRF creates a platform by which the organisation can lead innovation in online content, fundraising and marketing initiatives and delivery.
Success will be achieved by maintaining viable and up-to-date content about the foundation, research and new and forthcoming initiatives, whilst using the TLD as an innovative marketing and communications tool and leading the development of the Internet. As Internet usage evolves and new TLDs emerge, it is ACRF's goal to be a leader in this new era of Internet development through the .cancerresearch TLD.
A benefit to the ACRF brand will be in furthering its existing reputation as a leading Australian charity, dedicated to cancer research and finding cures and treatments. This will enhance the ACRF brand as a whole.
The leadership goal will be measured by the initial delegation and usage of the TLD. Following delegation, visitation statistics and survey results will be used to measure not only how many visits are recorded against the site, but the perception of the ACRF brand in terms of sector leadership.
SERVICE LEVEL-RELATED GOALS
5 A CENTRALISED LOCATION FOR ACRF CONTENT AND INFORMATION
A goal of the .cancerresearch TLD is to have accessible and easily-locatable information that is freely available online. The donors, current and prospective researchers and the wider Internet Community, require readily available and easily accessible information about ACRF's activities. The .cancerresearch TLD will facilitate this by offering a centralised location for all ACRF's activities and information pertaining to it. As previously stated, this will be authoritative and governed by ACRF on behalf of the ACRF space.
The ACRF brand will benefit from having a cohesive and dedicated online space serving as a digital hub for all activities on the Internet, supporting the diverse approach ACRF and its ACRF brand utilises in its operations and serving as a basis of its fundraising and funding operations. As previously stated, this could potentially reduce the costs of SEO and reduce organisation-related expenditure on marketing as a whole.
Donors and other beneficiaries will benefit from the naming conventions employed in the .cancerresearch TLD (for example, fundraising.cancerresearch or newcures.cancerresearch), enabling a better user experience for its online audiences. The .cancerresearch TLD provides for intuitive navigation which, coupled with the introduction of other TLDs, will enhance the overall navigability of the Internet.
Surveys will be conducted to assess a site user's experience and the ease of accessing .cancerresearch TLD websites. Visit metrics will be utilised to measure the volume of traffic on .cancerresearch websites, where the traffic has originated from and where it is being directed to. This will be compared to traffic data of the current domain name portfolio and analysed for performance.
6 COMPETITION
The .cancerresearch TLD has a goal to create more competition on the Internet. By creating its own TLD, ACRF hopes to drive innovation, not only with the ACRF brand in its own field but to the Internet as a whole. Having already demonstrated this innovation and leadership in its own market, ACRF now hopes to provide Internet users, as well as existing and potential ACRF brand customers, greater levels of service with the .cancerresearch TLD. This innovation, increase in service level and trust in the TLD will promote more competition on the Internet and thus increase overall levels of service across the industry.
The success of this goal will be tied to the success of the new gTLD program as a whole. As new TLDs are delegated, more competition will be created and consequently an increase in service levels will follow.
ACRF will not have a specific measure in place for this goal, but will rely upon the post-program analysis conducted by ICANN and the GAC to determine if the program has been successful.
DIFFERENTIATION
Anticipated Contribution to the Current Space
The .cancerresearch TLD will make a significant contribution to the current space in the following ways:
- The TLD primarily differs from existing TLDs in relation to its unique mission/purpose - to promote the ACRF brand and its philanthropic activities. No other TLD currently exists that is specifically devoted to the needs of a single brand or philanthropic organisation. The .cancerresearch TLD will be one of the first TLDs added to the root in which a single organisation's digital operations and very image are communicated by and through the TLD via an authoritative channel.
- The unique, vertical integration of the .cancerresearch TLD model will allow the .cancerresearch TLD to be one of the first TLDs added to the root in which domain names are not commercially available and are only registered by and in the complete control of the Registry Operator via an ICANN-approved Registrar. This will bring added benefits to the DNS by preventing abuse and infringement, thus increasing reliability and trust. Consequently, the .cancerresearch TLD model and other TLDs will contribute to the development of a new level of trust and confidence on the Internet.
- Where existing TLDs often apply to diverse and broad markets, without an imposed cap on the number of registrations made available, the .cancerresearch TLD will be differentiated by having a concentrated number of domain names. This means that users searching for content related to a particular ACRF endeavour will be easily directed to that content via a potentially small number of applicable sites.
- With restrictions placed on registrations, their use and content, the .cancerresearch TLD will distinguish itself as a TLD with an online identity reflecting the unique and diverse ACRF brand.
The above-described features of the .cancerresearch TLD clearly differentiate it from existing Top Level Domains. The .cancerresearch TLD serves to consolidate ACRF activities by providing an easily identifiable, globally-visible home for ACRF operations.
Additionally, the .cancerresearch TLD addresses the needs of Internet users by providing an easily identifiable and dedicated TLD with assurances regarding the legitimacy of content. Websites providing unauthoritative information within other TLDs relating to the ACRF will be easily identifiable, as they will not carry a .cancerresearch Top Level Domain name. This will reduce donor and other beneficiaries' reliance on unauthorised and infringing ACRF-related content provided by unauthorised third parties.
Because domain name registrations in the .cancerresearch TLD will be the exclusive reserve of ACRF, any registrations made by ACRF in its operation of the ACRF brand have a distinct advantage over registration within competing Top Level Domains in terms of value proposition, stemming from a synonymous relationship between the .cancerresearch string, the registrant and its aims. The .cancerresearch TLD will be recognised by Internet users as the dedicated, authoritative online space for the ACRF, as supported by its inclusion within ACRF's marketing activities.
REGISTRATION POLICIES IN SUPPORT OF THE .CANCERRESEARCH TLD
All domain names registered within the .cancerresearch TLD will be registered and maintained by ACRF for the exclusive use of the ACRF and its Affiliates (as defined in Article 2.9(c) of the Registry Agreement). ACRF will not sell, distribute or transfer the control or use of any registration within the TLD to any third party that is not an Affiliate of ACRF. All domain names will be registered via an ICANN-accredited Registrar.
Once authorised by a staff member vested with the authority to approve domain name registration requests, domain names in the .cancerresearch TLD will be registered by a select number of specifically-authorised staff members. Departments within ACRF, will be able to request to register an associated .cancerresearch domain name to promote their activities and services and/or events with reference to the ACRF brand with authority. Safeguards against allowing for registrations in violation of this eligibility restriction, including trademarks, are discussed in the responses to Question 28 and Question 29. Registration policies will strive to avoid the registration of any domain names which are confusingly similar to any trademarks or related proprietary material; offensive and obscene material will not be tolerated in relation to the use of domain name registrations.
A specifically authorised individual of ACRF will be designated as the technical contact on all registrations within the .cancerresearch TLD. This staff member will be responsible for the ongoing technical services of websites utilising .cancerresearch domain names. Domain names registered within the .cancerresearch TLD must further the strategic goals of the ACRF brand as mandated by ACRF. This is reflected in the registration policy which will be created and maintained by the ACRF as part of their management of the ACRF brand.
These restrictions underpin the achievement of the goals of the TLD, in particular enhancing trust in the ACRF brand and forming an authoritative source of information relating to ACRF brand operations.
PROTECTION OF PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
All domain name registrations in the .cancerresearch TLD will be registered to and maintained by the ACRF for its own exclusive internal use. No measures need be taken for protecting the privacy or confidential information of registrants in the .cancerresearch TLD, because information of a private nature will not be collected during the registration process.
ACRF will not distribute or transfer control or use of domain name registrations in the TLD to any third party that is not an Affiliate (as defined in clause 2.9(c) of the Registry Agreement). Use of .cancerresearch domain name registrations will be reserved for the exclusive use of the ACRF and its Affiliates. Accordingly, ACRF consider that no measures need be taken toward protecting the privacy or confidential information of users of domain name registrations in the .cancerresearch TLD.
OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES
Outreach and communication activities for the .cancerresearch TLD will be conducted in two different formats, and include both below the line (closed and directed) marketing and above the line (public) initiatives.
The first format will focus on internal communications and be directed towards internal staff members and ACRF affiliates for the purpose of communicating the introduction of the new TLD and the opportunities this presents. It is envisaged that this will be carried out and implemented by initiatives such as internal communiqués, email communications from the marketing department and speaking opportunities at organisation sanctioned events.
The second format will focus on launching the new TLD to ACRF target audiences. This will be executed via an initial awareness campaign designed to notify and educate target audiences and stakeholder groups on the introduction of .cancerresearch and its respective benefits. The campaign will be executed via advertising and public relations activity. Additionally, the .cancerresearch TLD will be introduced as the primary online destination for advertising activity within pre-selected demographic segments. This will drive utilisation and begin the process of behavioural change within the target audience. This is in line with the mission/purpose of the TLD to promote and enhance the ACRF brand.×
The following six goals have been identified as goals of the .cancerresearch TLD:
REPUTATIONAL GOALS
1 CREATE AN AUTHORITATIVE TLD
One of the goals of the .cancerresearch TLD is to develop a reputation as the authoritative online point of reference for the ACRF brand, which donors, beneficiaries and Internet users will intuitively navigate to and trust.
ACRF intends to request an exemption from clause 1b of the Registry Operator Code of Conduct (Specification 9) pursuant to clause 6 of the Code of Conduct to enable it to register domain names in its own right in this TLD. Registrations will not be made commercially available; all domain name registrations in the TLD will be registered to and maintained by the ACRF for its own exclusive use. ACRF will not sell, distribute or transfer control or use of any registration in the TLD to any third party that is not an Affiliate, as that term is defined in clause 2.9(c) of the Registry Agreement.
It is thus planned that the TLD will be exclusively operated and controlled by ACRF on behalf of the ACRF brand; as such, it will leverage the power of the ACRF brand to promote the .cancerresearch TLD as the single point-of-reference for the ACRF brand online. The .cancerresearch TLD will serve to reduce confusion for Internet users and also reduce the likelihood for their detriment by interacting with online entities that falsely or fraudulently purport to either represent the ACRF brand, or in some cases, impersonate the brand online. Users will therefore have confidence that content within the .cancerresearch online sphere is genuine, legitimate and secure.
ACRF will ensure that the content of the .cancerresearch namespace conforms to its well-defined terms of use and registration pertaining to Internet policies.
This goal to be an authoritative TLD will be achieved by ensuring all registrations and content will be strictly authorised and controlled by ACRF immediately upon creation of the TLD.
A benefit for the ACRF will be the strengthening of the ACRF brand via the provision of a coherent brand information channel and a reduction of the risk of consumers being misled by unauthorised or infringing content. Having this authoritative TLD will create an Internet ‘lighthouse' that clearly displays to consumers and Internet users without doubt that its websites are approved by ACRF.
Such an authoritative TLD may deliver financial benefits to the organisation by potentially reducing the need for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) costs, resulting from marketing spend and labour not being devoted to this activity. In addition, costs related to the maintenance of domain name registrations to promote the brand in various TLDs may, over time, be reduced as they become unnecessary.
Internet users, donors and beneficiaries will benefit by having certainty that all content within the .cancerresearch TLD is authorised and organisation-approved. Within a single TLD, visitors to .cancerresearch domain names will be able to access information about the ACRF brand, research and events, which will be unmistakably defined by clear, logical domain names. The added confidence inherent in the ACRF brand being the only eligible registrant will ensure a direct and trusted line of communication between consumers and the ACRF brand. Internet users can be assured that any information they access through the .cancerresearch TLD is legitimate and supported by the strong reputation of ACRF brand.
Surveys will be conducted by the ACRF to assess a site user's experience, alongside assessment of the authority and suitability of the information that .cancerresearch conveys.
The authoritative TLD goal will be considered achieved when the majority of survey responses in a reporting cycle reveal a positive, trusting experience in using .cancerresearch websites.
2 BUILD BRAND
Following the introduction of the .cancerresearch TLD, efforts will shift to focusing on migrating content from existing domain name portfolios across to the .cancerresearch TLD. This will begin to build the reputation of the TLD in the industry and public consciousness and consequently increase the ACRF brand. External campaigns will promote the .TLD and drive traffic to .cancerresearch websites only.
The promotion of .cancerresearch-based websites provides an efficient marketing model that encompasses both the brand and activities provided by the organisation. This is a far more efficient marketing approach than that currently employed - usage of existing TLDs which are neither intrinsically activity nor brand-related.
The benefit to the ACRF will be in enabling internal departments, events and initiatives to register, via an ICANN-accredited Registrar, brand-supportive domain names. ACRF will be able to use these registrations to represent ACRF events and strategic initiatives in support of the ACRF core strategy and mission/purpose of the .cancerresearch TLD. Ultimately, the organisation will benefit from maintaining a more easily marketable online identity.
A website under the .cancerresearch TLD will assure Internet users that they are accessing authoritative and reliable ACRF brand information. As such, it is anticipated that more traffic will be directed to sites within the .cancerresearch TLD and away from unreliable and illegitimate websites purporting to provide information relating to ACRF brand and its services.
Surveys will be conducted to measure the impact of the introduction of the .cancerresearch TLD against the brand's existing domain name portfolio. Visit metrics will be utilised to measure the volume of traffic on .cancerresearch websites and subsequently compared to traffic data of the current domain name portfolio.
3 CONTROL
Having the .cancerresearch TLD under the control of ACRF is an additional goal. This will be achieved when the TLD is delegated for use by ICANN and the internal policies described in this application are in place to manage the registration of domain names. As mentioned above, this creates numerous benefits to the organisation, the industry (both researchers and donors), beneficiaries and the wider Internet community.
Many benefits are similar to the above statements around trust and genuine content, but in addition to these, in meeting this goal of control, ACRF sees additional benefits such as:
Adaptability
As the Registry Operator, ACRF will benefit from having ultimate control of the TLD and the policy that underpins it. This will enable policy to be developed that serves the mission and purpose of the TLD but, at the same time, allows it to adapt to support the future direction of the ACRF brand on the Internet.
Being in control of the TLD gives ACRF the comfort of knowing any future initiatives will have a dedicated TLD to reside in. It allows the organisation a platform from which to innovate or adapt to any changes in Internet policy or best practice. Being in control of the TLD also gives ACRF the ability to change direction and approach, quickly and in line with the organisation's current goals for the ACRF brand.
Availability
Being in control of the TLD will enable ACRF to register domain names without the need to compete within other TLDs and ccTLDs. This will benefit the organisation by allowing key initiatives to be supported by shorter and more relevant domain names that are easy to remember. Thus, consumers and Internet users will be able to intuitively navigate and find relevant domain names which can be trusted as authoritative from ACRF on behalf of the ACRF brand.
The benefits to the public will be similar to those mentioned above. As also mentioned above, surveys will be used to measure user experience and determine that the goal of control has been met.
4 LEADERSHIP
Another goal of the TLD is to promote and identify the ACRF as a forward thinking charity which uses technology effectively to be a leader on the road to the ultimate goal of a cures and treatments for cancers.
By securing the .cancerresearch TLD, ACRF creates a platform by which the organisation can lead innovation in online content, fundraising and marketing initiatives and delivery.
Success will be achieved by maintaining viable and up-to-date content about the foundation, research and new and forthcoming initiatives, whilst using the TLD as an innovative marketing and communications tool and leading the development of the Internet. As Internet usage evolves and new TLDs emerge, it is ACRF's goal to be a leader in this new era of Internet development through the .cancerresearch TLD.
A benefit to the ACRF brand will be in furthering its existing reputation as a leading Australian charity, dedicated to cancer research and finding cures and treatments. This will enhance the ACRF brand as a whole.
The leadership goal will be measured by the initial delegation and usage of the TLD. Following delegation, visitation statistics and survey results will be used to measure not only how many visits are recorded against the site, but the perception of the ACRF brand in terms of sector leadership.
SERVICE LEVEL-RELATED GOALS
5 A CENTRALISED LOCATION FOR ACRF CONTENT AND INFORMATION
A goal of the .cancerresearch TLD is to have accessible and easily-locatable information that is freely available online. The donors, current and prospective researchers and the wider Internet Community, require readily available and easily accessible information about ACRF's activities. The .cancerresearch TLD will facilitate this by offering a centralised location for all ACRF's activities and information pertaining to it. As previously stated, this will be authoritative and governed by ACRF on behalf of the ACRF space.
The ACRF brand will benefit from having a cohesive and dedicated online space serving as a digital hub for all activities on the Internet, supporting the diverse approach ACRF and its ACRF brand utilises in its operations and serving as a basis of its fundraising and funding operations. As previously stated, this could potentially reduce the costs of SEO and reduce organisation-related expenditure on marketing as a whole.
Donors and other beneficiaries will benefit from the naming conventions employed in the .cancerresearch TLD (for example, fundraising.cancerresearch or newcures.cancerresearch), enabling a better user experience for its online audiences. The .cancerresearch TLD provides for intuitive navigation which, coupled with the introduction of other TLDs, will enhance the overall navigability of the Internet.
Surveys will be conducted to assess a site user's experience and the ease of accessing .cancerresearch TLD websites. Visit metrics will be utilised to measure the volume of traffic on .cancerresearch websites, where the traffic has originated from and where it is being directed to. This will be compared to traffic data of the current domain name portfolio and analysed for performance.
6 COMPETITION
The .cancerresearch TLD has a goal to create more competition on the Internet. By creating its own TLD, ACRF hopes to drive innovation, not only with the ACRF brand in its own field but to the Internet as a whole. Having already demonstrated this innovation and leadership in its own market, ACRF now hopes to provide Internet users, as well as existing and potential ACRF brand customers, greater levels of service with the .cancerresearch TLD. This innovation, increase in service level and trust in the TLD will promote more competition on the Internet and thus increase overall levels of service across the industry.
The success of this goal will be tied to the success of the new gTLD program as a whole. As new TLDs are delegated, more competition will be created and consequently an increase in service levels will follow.
ACRF will not have a specific measure in place for this goal, but will rely upon the post-program analysis conducted by ICANN and the GAC to determine if the program has been successful.
DIFFERENTIATION
Anticipated Contribution to the Current Space
The .cancerresearch TLD will make a significant contribution to the current space in the following ways:
- The TLD primarily differs from existing TLDs in relation to its unique mission/purpose - to promote the ACRF brand and its philanthropic activities. No other TLD currently exists that is specifically devoted to the needs of a single brand or philanthropic organisation. The .cancerresearch TLD will be one of the first TLDs added to the root in which a single organisation's digital operations and very image are communicated by and through the TLD via an authoritative channel.
- The unique, vertical integration of the .cancerresearch TLD model will allow the .cancerresearch TLD to be one of the first TLDs added to the root in which domain names are not commercially available and are only registered by and in the complete control of the Registry Operator via an ICANN-approved Registrar. This will bring added benefits to the DNS by preventing abuse and infringement, thus increasing reliability and trust. Consequently, the .cancerresearch TLD model and other TLDs will contribute to the development of a new level of trust and confidence on the Internet.
- Where existing TLDs often apply to diverse and broad markets, without an imposed cap on the number of registrations made available, the .cancerresearch TLD will be differentiated by having a concentrated number of domain names. This means that users searching for content related to a particular ACRF endeavour will be easily directed to that content via a potentially small number of applicable sites.
- With restrictions placed on registrations, their use and content, the .cancerresearch TLD will distinguish itself as a TLD with an online identity reflecting the unique and diverse ACRF brand.
The above-described features of the .cancerresearch TLD clearly differentiate it from existing Top Level Domains. The .cancerresearch TLD serves to consolidate ACRF activities by providing an easily identifiable, globally-visible home for ACRF operations.
Additionally, the .cancerresearch TLD addresses the needs of Internet users by providing an easily identifiable and dedicated TLD with assurances regarding the legitimacy of content. Websites providing unauthoritative information within other TLDs relating to the ACRF will be easily identifiable, as they will not carry a .cancerresearch Top Level Domain name. This will reduce donor and other beneficiaries' reliance on unauthorised and infringing ACRF-related content provided by unauthorised third parties.
Because domain name registrations in the .cancerresearch TLD will be the exclusive reserve of ACRF, any registrations made by ACRF in its operation of the ACRF brand have a distinct advantage over registration within competing Top Level Domains in terms of value proposition, stemming from a synonymous relationship between the .cancerresearch string, the registrant and its aims. The .cancerresearch TLD will be recognised by Internet users as the dedicated, authoritative online space for the ACRF, as supported by its inclusion within ACRF's marketing activities.
REGISTRATION POLICIES IN SUPPORT OF THE .CANCERRESEARCH TLD
All domain names registered within the .cancerresearch TLD will be registered and maintained by ACRF for the exclusive use of the ACRF and its Affiliates (as defined in Article 2.9(c) of the Registry Agreement). ACRF will not sell, distribute or transfer the control or use of any registration within the TLD to any third party that is not an Affiliate of ACRF. All domain names will be registered via an ICANN-accredited Registrar.
Once authorised by a staff member vested with the authority to approve domain name registration requests, domain names in the .cancerresearch TLD will be registered by a select number of specifically-authorised staff members. Departments within ACRF, will be able to request to register an associated .cancerresearch domain name to promote their activities and services and/or events with reference to the ACRF brand with authority. Safeguards against allowing for registrations in violation of this eligibility restriction, including trademarks, are discussed in the responses to Question 28 and Question 29. Registration policies will strive to avoid the registration of any domain names which are confusingly similar to any trademarks or related proprietary material; offensive and obscene material will not be tolerated in relation to the use of domain name registrations.
A specifically authorised individual of ACRF will be designated as the technical contact on all registrations within the .cancerresearch TLD. This staff member will be responsible for the ongoing technical services of websites utilising .cancerresearch domain names. Domain names registered within the .cancerresearch TLD must further the strategic goals of the ACRF brand as mandated by ACRF. This is reflected in the registration policy which will be created and maintained by the ACRF as part of their management of the ACRF brand.
These restrictions underpin the achievement of the goals of the TLD, in particular enhancing trust in the ACRF brand and forming an authoritative source of information relating to ACRF brand operations.
PROTECTION OF PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
All domain name registrations in the .cancerresearch TLD will be registered to and maintained by the ACRF for its own exclusive internal use. No measures need be taken for protecting the privacy or confidential information of registrants in the .cancerresearch TLD, because information of a private nature will not be collected during the registration process.
ACRF will not distribute or transfer control or use of domain name registrations in the TLD to any third party that is not an Affiliate (as defined in clause 2.9(c) of the Registry Agreement). Use of .cancerresearch domain name registrations will be reserved for the exclusive use of the ACRF and its Affiliates. Accordingly, ACRF consider that no measures need be taken toward protecting the privacy or confidential information of users of domain name registrations in the .cancerresearch TLD.
OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES
Outreach and communication activities for the .cancerresearch TLD will be conducted in two different formats, and include both below the line (closed and directed) marketing and above the line (public) initiatives.
The first format will focus on internal communications and be directed towards internal staff members and ACRF affiliates for the purpose of communicating the introduction of the new TLD and the opportunities this presents. It is envisaged that this will be carried out and implemented by initiatives such as internal communiqués, email communications from the marketing department and speaking opportunities at organisation sanctioned events.
The second format will focus on launching the new TLD to ACRF target audiences. This will be executed via an initial awareness campaign designed to notify and educate target audiences and stakeholder groups on the introduction of .cancerresearch and its respective benefits. The campaign will be executed via advertising and public relations activity. Additionally, the .cancerresearch TLD will be introduced as the primary online destination for advertising activity within pre-selected demographic segments. This will drive utilisation and begin the process of behavioural change within the target audience. This is in line with the mission/purpose of the TLD to promote and enhance the ACRF brand.×
Operational Rules and Cost Benefits
INTRODUCTION All domain name registrations in the .cancerresearch TLD will be registered to and maintained by ACRF for its own exclusive use. ACRF will not distribute or transfer control or use of any registrations in the .cancerresearch TLD to any third party that is not an Affiliate, as that... Read more
INTRODUCTION
All domain name registrations in the .cancerresearch TLD will be registered to and maintained by ACRF for its own exclusive use. ACRF will not distribute or transfer control or use of any registrations in the .cancerresearch TLD to any third party that is not an Affiliate, as that term is defined in clause 2.9(c) of the Registry Agreement. As such, ACRF will maintain complete control over .cancerresearch domain name registrations, as facilitated by the imposition of eligibility restrictions and internal policies and processes. ACRF has interpreted this question broadly and prepared this response taking into consideration social costs and other negative consequences facing consumers and Internet users who will access content through the .cancerresearch TLD; likewise, these are considered eliminated or minimised by the manner in which ACRF will operate the .cancerresearch TLD.
METHOD OF RESOLVING MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS
Multiple applications are not anticipated in the .cancerresearch TLD, as domain name registrations will be for controlled by ACRF for its exclusive use in the interests of the ACRF brand. Registrations will not be made commercially available and eligibility to register domain names will be limited to specifically authorised individuals under ACRF's control. Thus, there are no competing interests and or opportunities for competing applications to be made. The decision-making authority as to which domain names will be registered and for which purposes will be not vested in a single individual; this will be addressed through internal processes regarding domain name registration, requiring approvals within established reporting lines and the use of usernames and passwords to register domain names. Compliance with these processes will ensure that multiple applications for the same name are not made.
COST BENEFITS TO REGISTRANTS
Registrations will not be commercially available in the .cancerresearch TLD; cost benefits to registrants are therefore not applicable to the TLD.
CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS TO REGISTRANTS
Registrations will not be commercially available in the .cancerresearch TLD; contractual commitments regarding price escalation are therefore also not applicable to the TLD.
OTHER OPERATING RULES WHICH ELIMINATE OR MINIMISE SOCIAL COSTS
By imposing strict eligibility restrictions and internal processes regarding domain name registration and restricting the .cancerresearch TLD to uses that clearly support its mission/purpose and thus the ACRF business, it is anticipated that vulnerabilities to the registrant and the Internet public who access content through the .cancerresearch TLD can be eliminated. This will be safeguarded through internal policies and procedures which ensure that registrations are made by authorised representatives of ACRF using established reporting lines. Further, abusive registrations and use of registrations will be prevented by having in place and enforcing a robust anti-abuse policy; this policy is described in detail in the response to Question 28.×
All domain name registrations in the .cancerresearch TLD will be registered to and maintained by ACRF for its own exclusive use. ACRF will not distribute or transfer control or use of any registrations in the .cancerresearch TLD to any third party that is not an Affiliate, as that term is defined in clause 2.9(c) of the Registry Agreement. As such, ACRF will maintain complete control over .cancerresearch domain name registrations, as facilitated by the imposition of eligibility restrictions and internal policies and processes. ACRF has interpreted this question broadly and prepared this response taking into consideration social costs and other negative consequences facing consumers and Internet users who will access content through the .cancerresearch TLD; likewise, these are considered eliminated or minimised by the manner in which ACRF will operate the .cancerresearch TLD.
METHOD OF RESOLVING MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS
Multiple applications are not anticipated in the .cancerresearch TLD, as domain name registrations will be for controlled by ACRF for its exclusive use in the interests of the ACRF brand. Registrations will not be made commercially available and eligibility to register domain names will be limited to specifically authorised individuals under ACRF's control. Thus, there are no competing interests and or opportunities for competing applications to be made. The decision-making authority as to which domain names will be registered and for which purposes will be not vested in a single individual; this will be addressed through internal processes regarding domain name registration, requiring approvals within established reporting lines and the use of usernames and passwords to register domain names. Compliance with these processes will ensure that multiple applications for the same name are not made.
COST BENEFITS TO REGISTRANTS
Registrations will not be commercially available in the .cancerresearch TLD; cost benefits to registrants are therefore not applicable to the TLD.
CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS TO REGISTRANTS
Registrations will not be commercially available in the .cancerresearch TLD; contractual commitments regarding price escalation are therefore also not applicable to the TLD.
OTHER OPERATING RULES WHICH ELIMINATE OR MINIMISE SOCIAL COSTS
By imposing strict eligibility restrictions and internal processes regarding domain name registration and restricting the .cancerresearch TLD to uses that clearly support its mission/purpose and thus the ACRF business, it is anticipated that vulnerabilities to the registrant and the Internet public who access content through the .cancerresearch TLD can be eliminated. This will be safeguarded through internal policies and procedures which ensure that registrations are made by authorised representatives of ACRF using established reporting lines. Further, abusive registrations and use of registrations will be prevented by having in place and enforcing a robust anti-abuse policy; this policy is described in detail in the response to Question 28.×
Is this a Community-based TLD?
No
Is this a Geographic-based TLD?
No
Protection of Geographic Names
We have engaged ARI Registry Services (ARI) to deliver services for this TLD. This response describes protection of geographic names as implemented by ARI. 1 PROTECTION OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES In accordance with Specification 5 of the New gTLD Registry Agreement, the registry operator must initially... Read more
We have engaged ARI Registry Services (ARI) to deliver services for this TLD. This response describes protection of geographic names as implemented by ARI.
1 PROTECTION OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES
In accordance with Specification 5 of the New gTLD Registry Agreement, the registry operator must initially reserve all geographic names at the second level, and at all other levels within the TLD at which the registry operator provides for registrations.
ARI supports this requirement by using the following internationally recognised lists to develop a comprehensive master list of all geographic names that are initially reserved:
- The 2-letter alpha-2 code of all country and territory names contained on the ISO 3166-1 list, including all reserved and unassigned codes [http://www.iso.org/iso/support/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/iso-3166-1_decoding_table.htm].
- The short form (in English) of all country and territory names contained on the ISO 3166-1 list, including the European Union, which is exceptionally reserved on the ISO 3166-1 List, and its scope extended in August 1999 to any application needing to represent the name European Union [http://www.iso.org/iso/support/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/iso-3166-1_decoding_table.htm#EU].
- The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, Technical Reference Manual for the Standardisation of Geographical Names, Part III Names of Countries of the World. This lists the names of 193 independent States generally recognised by the international community in the language or languages used in an official capacity within each country and is current as of August 2006 [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/ungegn%20tech%20ref%20manual_M87_combined.pdf].
- The list of UN member states in six official UN languages prepared by the Working Group on Country Names of the United Nations Conference on the standardisation of Geographical Names [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/UNGEGN/docs/9th-uncsgn-docs/econf/9th_UNCSGN_e-conf-98-89-add1.pdf].
Names on this reserved list in ARI's registry system are prevented from registration.
A corresponding list of geographic names will also be available to the public via the registry operators website, to inform Registrars and potential registrants of reserved names. The lists noted above, are regularly monitored for revisions, therefore the reserved list (both within the registry and publicly facing) will be continually updated to reflect any changes.
In addition to these requirements, ARI are able to support the wishes of the Governmental Advisory Council (GAC) or any individual Government in regard to the blocking of individual terms on a case by case basis. ARI's registry system allows such additions to be made by appropriately authorised staff, with no further system development changes required.
The following applies to all Domain Names contained within the registry's reserved list:
- Attempts to register listed Domain Names will be rejected.
- WhoIs queries for listed Domain Names will receive responses indicating their reserved status.
- Reserved geographic names will not appear in the TLD zone file.
- DNS queries for reserved domain names will result in an NXDOMAIN response.
2 PROCEDURES FOR RELEASE
We understand that if we wish to release the reserved names at a later date, this will require agreement from the relevant government/s or review by the GAC, and subsequent approval from ICANN.
×
1 PROTECTION OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES
In accordance with Specification 5 of the New gTLD Registry Agreement, the registry operator must initially reserve all geographic names at the second level, and at all other levels within the TLD at which the registry operator provides for registrations.
ARI supports this requirement by using the following internationally recognised lists to develop a comprehensive master list of all geographic names that are initially reserved:
- The 2-letter alpha-2 code of all country and territory names contained on the ISO 3166-1 list, including all reserved and unassigned codes [http://www.iso.org/iso/support/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/iso-3166-1_decoding_table.htm].
- The short form (in English) of all country and territory names contained on the ISO 3166-1 list, including the European Union, which is exceptionally reserved on the ISO 3166-1 List, and its scope extended in August 1999 to any application needing to represent the name European Union [http://www.iso.org/iso/support/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/iso-3166-1_decoding_table.htm#EU].
- The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, Technical Reference Manual for the Standardisation of Geographical Names, Part III Names of Countries of the World. This lists the names of 193 independent States generally recognised by the international community in the language or languages used in an official capacity within each country and is current as of August 2006 [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/ungegn%20tech%20ref%20manual_M87_combined.pdf].
- The list of UN member states in six official UN languages prepared by the Working Group on Country Names of the United Nations Conference on the standardisation of Geographical Names [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/UNGEGN/docs/9th-uncsgn-docs/econf/9th_UNCSGN_e-conf-98-89-add1.pdf].
Names on this reserved list in ARI's registry system are prevented from registration.
A corresponding list of geographic names will also be available to the public via the registry operators website, to inform Registrars and potential registrants of reserved names. The lists noted above, are regularly monitored for revisions, therefore the reserved list (both within the registry and publicly facing) will be continually updated to reflect any changes.
In addition to these requirements, ARI are able to support the wishes of the Governmental Advisory Council (GAC) or any individual Government in regard to the blocking of individual terms on a case by case basis. ARI's registry system allows such additions to be made by appropriately authorised staff, with no further system development changes required.
The following applies to all Domain Names contained within the registry's reserved list:
- Attempts to register listed Domain Names will be rejected.
- WhoIs queries for listed Domain Names will receive responses indicating their reserved status.
- Reserved geographic names will not appear in the TLD zone file.
- DNS queries for reserved domain names will result in an NXDOMAIN response.
2 PROCEDURES FOR RELEASE
We understand that if we wish to release the reserved names at a later date, this will require agreement from the relevant government/s or review by the GAC, and subsequent approval from ICANN.
×