New gTLD Registry Service Providers, XYZ, CentralNic $CNIC & ICANN

"... downward pressure on prices due to competition among Registry Service Providers has drained capital from the marketplace that might otherwise be used to fund stable, resilient infrastructures ...  it is equally apparent that the downward spiral of Registry Service Provider pricing will lead to cut corners. The result will be a failure ..."--Kurt Pritz (former ICANN Chief Strategy Officer), Why Registry Service Providers Should be Accredited by ICANN | circleid.com.

.XYZ Domain Helping To Drive Growth at CentralNic Says CEO:

The chief executive of  domain name registry services provider CentralNic Group PLC (LON:CNIC), Ben Crawford, in the above video tells ProactiveInvestors that the .XYZ* new gTLD (new generic top-level domain) has been a revelation and helped the company to drive up revenues and profits in the first half of 2016. “We have six of the top 25 [new gTLDS]. Number one is .xyz which is very well known because Google used it for Alphabet, the new parent company,” says Crawford. “Mark Zuckerberg’s used it, the founders of Skype are using it for one of their new companies and it’s the most popular [new gTLD] all around the world.” Crawford estimates that CentralNic has about a 34% market share, adding that other domain names such as .art, .am and .fm are also boosting the finances. He also touches on the company’s cash position, explaining that there is “never an issue” with that as all of the company’s divisions are cash-generative. *CentralNic is the "backend" registry services provider for new gTLD .XYZ (registry operator XYZ.COM LLC), and for other new gTLDs.

Video above published Oct 12, 2016, by ProActive Investors Stocktube [stocktube.com]. According to its website, "Stocktube is part of the Proactiveinvestors Group, a leading multi-media news organisation, investor portal and events management business with offices in New York, Sydney, Toronto, Frankfurt and London."

Centralnic Group PLC a/k/a CentralNic

Principal domain: centralnic.com

Stock exchange: symbol | LON: CNIC

Recent 5-year stock chart of Centralnic Group PLC (LON: CNIC) showing shares DOWN -41.81% since Sep 11, 2015. 

Note that $CNIC priced in GBX (pence sterling) on the London Stock Exchange. 43.50 pence sterling = US$0.53.

Also note that one of the larger domain name registrars, Namecheap, has experienced connectivity issues with CentralNic registry: 

"We are currently experiencing connectivity issues with CentralNic registry. As a result, recently registered .US.COM / .DE.COM / .PW / .WEBSITE / .HOST / .PRESS / .SPACE / .SITE / .XYZ / .TECH / .DESIGN / .ONLINE / .COLLEGE / .RENT / .BR.COM, .CN.COM / .EU.COM / .GB.COM / .GB.NET / .UK.COM / .UK.NET / .UY.COM / .HU.COM / .NO.COM / .QC.COM / .RU.COM / .SA.COM / .SE.COM / .SE.NET / .ZA.COM / .JPN.COM / .AE.ORG / .KR.COM / .LA / .AR.COM / .US.ORG / .GR.COM / .COM.DE / .JP.NET / .HU.NET / .WIKI / .IN.NET / .REST / .REIT / .FANS / .INK / .FEEDBACK / .MEX.COM / .CO.COM / .BAR / .COM.SE / .TICKETS / .LOVE / .PROTECTION / .SECURITY / .THEATRE domains may not resolve properly and DNS updates may not propagate as well. The case has been escalated to the Registry. They are aware of the issue and doing their best to resolve this. Kindly allow some time for the issue to get resolved and do not place new .US.COM / .DE.COM / .PW / .WEBSITE / .HOST / .PRESS / .SPACE / .SITE / .XYZ / .TECH / .DESIGN / .ONLINE / .COLLEGE / .RENT / .BR.COM, .CN.COM / .EU.COM / .GB.COM / .GB.NET / .UK.COM / .UK.NET / .UY.COM / .HU.COM / .NO.COM / .QC.COM / .RU.COM / .SA.COM / .SE.COM / .SE.NET / .ZA.COM / .JPN.COM / .AE.ORG / .KR.COM / .LA / .AR.COM / .US.ORG / .GR.COM / .COM.DE / .JP.NET / .HU.NET / .WIKI / .IN.NET / .REST / .REIT / .FANS / .INK / .FEEDBACK / .MEX.COM / .CO.COM / .BAR / .COM.SE / .TICKETS / .LOVE / .PROTECTION / .SECURITY / .THEATRE domain related orders for now. This status post will be updated once we have any news ... UPDATE @ 10:20 EDT | 14:20 UTC [Oct 12, 2016] We are glad to let you know that we received a confirmation from the Registry that the matter is resolved now ..."--Namecheap.com (emphasis added)

Caveat Emptor Domain Name Registrants: ICANN, the global monopoly authorizing new gTLDs, neither captures nor publishes information about registry service providers' failures. Instead, incompetent ICANN sees itself as a "marketing agency" for new gTLD domain names. To heck with consumer protection and the global public interest?

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DISCLAIMER

What Are You Agreeing To When You Register That Domain Name?

Re: ICANN 2013 RAA: Domain Name Registrant Provisions

So what are you agreeing to when you register that domain name?

Better read both the terms of your Registrar's Registration Agreement and the terms of that Registrar's Agreement with ICANN (RAA), the current version of which is the 2013 RAA:

ICANN: Current Agreement - 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement
(For Registrar Accreditation Agreements entered into after 28 June 2013)
2013 RAA PDFs: English | Español | العربية | Français | 日本語 | 한국어 | Português | русский | 中文
Redline of 2013 RAA against 2009 RAA [PDF, 425 KB]
2013 RAA Frequently Asked Questions

2009 Registrar Accreditation Agreement
(For Registrar Accreditation Agreements entered into between 21 May 2009 and 28 June 2013)

ICANN 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement (2013 RAA) (excerpts follow, emphasis added):

3.7.7 Registrar shall require all Registered Name Holders to enter into an electronic or paper registration agreement with Registrar including at least the provisions set forth in Subsections 3.7.7.1 through 3.7.7.12, and which agreement shall otherwise set forth the terms and conditions applicable to the registration of a domain name sponsored by Registrar. The Registered Name Holder with whom Registrar enters into a registration agreement must be a person or legal entity other than the Registrar, provided that Registrar may be the Registered Name Holder for domains registered for the purpose of conducting its Registrar Services, in which case the Registrar shall submit to the provisions set forth in Subsections 3.7.7.1 through 3.7.7.12 and shall be responsible to ICANN for compliance with all obligations of the Registered Name Holder as set forth in this Agreement and Specifications and Policies. Registrar shall use commercially reasonable efforts to enforce compliance with the provisions of the registration agreement between Registrar and any Registered Name Holder that relate to implementing the requirements of Subsections 3.7.7.1 through 3.7.7.12 or any Consensus Policy.

3.7.7.1 The Registered Name Holder shall provide to Registrar accurate and reliable contact details and correct and update them within seven (7) days of any change during the term of the Registered Name registration, including: the full name, postal address, e-mail address, voice telephone number, and fax number if available of the Registered Name Holder; name of authorized person for contact purposes in the case of an Registered Name Holder that is an organization, association, or corporation; and the data elements listed in Subsections 3.3.1.2, 3.3.1.7 and 3.3.1.8.

3.7.7.2 A Registered Name Holder's willful provision of inaccurate or unreliable information, its willful failure to update information provided to Registrar within seven (7) days of any change, or its failure to respond for over fifteen (15) days to inquiries by Registrar concerning the accuracy of contact details associated with the Registered Name Holder's registration shall constitute a material breach of the Registered Name Holder-registrar contract and be a basis for suspension and/or cancellation of the Registered Name registration.

3.7.7.3 Any Registered Name Holder that intends to license use of a domain name to a third party is nonetheless the Registered Name Holder of record and is responsible for providing its own full contact information and for providing and updating accurate technical and administrative contact information adequate to facilitate timely resolution of any problems that arise in connection with the Registered Name. A Registered Name Holder licensing use of a Registered Name according to this provision shall accept liability for harm caused by wrongful use of the Registered Name, unless it discloses the current contact information provided by the licensee and the identity of the licensee within seven (7) days to a party providing the Registered Name Holder reasonable evidence of actionable harm.

3.7.7.4 Registrar shall provide notice to each new or renewed Registered Name Holder stating:
3.7.7.4.1 The purposes for which any Personal Data collected from the applicant are intended;
3.7.7.4.2 The intended recipients or categories of recipients of the data (including the Registry Operator and others who will receive the data from Registry Operator);
3.7.7.4.3 Which data are obligatory and which data, if any, are voluntary; and
3.7.7.4.4 How the Registered Name Holder or data subject can access and, if necessary, rectify the data held about them.

3.7.7.5 The Registered Name Holder shall consent to the data processing referred to in Subsection 3.7.7.4.
3.7.7.6 The Registered Name Holder shall represent that notice has been provided equivalent to that described in Subsection 3.7.7.4 to any third-party individuals whose Personal Data are supplied to Registrar by the Registered Name Holder, and that the Registered Name Holder has obtained consent equivalent to that referred to in Subsection 3.7.7.5 of any such third-party individuals.
3.7.7.7 Registrar shall agree that it will not process the Personal Data collected from the Registered Name Holder in a way incompatible with the purposes and other limitations about which it has provided notice to the Registered Name Holder in accordance with Subsection 3.7.7.4 above.
3.7.7.8 Registrar shall agree that it will take reasonable precautions to protect Personal Data from loss, misuse, unauthorized access or disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
3.7.7.9 The Registered Name Holder shall represent that, to the best of the Registered Name Holder's knowledge and belief, neither the registration of the Registered Name nor the manner in which it is directly or indirectly used infringes the legal rights of any third party.
3.7.7.10 For the adjudication of disputes concerning or arising from use of the Registered Name, the Registered Name Holder shall submit, without prejudice to other potentially applicable jurisdictions, to the jurisdiction of the courts (1) of the Registered Name Holder's domicile and (2) where Registrar is located.
3.7.7.11 The Registered Name Holder shall agree that its registration of the Registered Name shall be subject to suspension, cancellation, or transfer pursuant to any Specification or Policy, or pursuant to any registrar or registry procedure not inconsistent with any Specification or Policy, (1) to correct mistakes by Registrar or the Registry Operator in registering the name or (2) for the resolution of disputes concerning the Registered Name.
3.7.7.12 The Registered Name Holder shall indemnify and hold harmless the Registry Operator and its directors, officers, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) arising out of or related to the Registered Name Holder's domain name registration.

3.7.8 Registrar shall comply with the obligations specified in the Whois Accuracy Program Specification. In addition, notwithstanding anything in the Whois Accuracy Program Specification to the contrary, Registrar shall abide by any Consensus Policy requiring reasonable and commercially practicable (a) verification, at the time of registration, of contact information associated with a Registered Name sponsored by Registrar or (b) periodic re-verification of such information. Registrar shall, upon notification by any person of an inaccuracy in the contact information associated with a Registered Name sponsored by Registrar, take reasonable steps to investigate that claimed inaccuracy. In the event Registrar learns of inaccurate contact information associated with a Registered Name it sponsors, it shall take reasonable steps to correct that inaccuracy.
3.7.9 Registrar shall abide by any Consensus Policy prohibiting or restricting warehousing of or speculation in domain names by registrars.
3.7.10 Registrar shall publish on its website(s) and/or provide a link to the Registrants' Benefits and Responsibilities Specification attached hereto and shall not take any action inconsistent with the corresponding provisions of this Agreement or applicable law.
3.7.11 Registrar shall make available a description of the customer service handling processes available to Registered Name Holders regarding Registrar Services, including a description of the processes for submitting complaints and resolving disputes regarding the Registrar Services.
3.7.12 Nothing in this Agreement prescribes or limits the amount Registrar may charge Registered Name Holders for registration of Registered Names. 


Caveat Emptor!

See also: 

• DomainMondo.com: Registrant Resources
• ICANN: Domain Name Registrants' Rights and Responsibilities
• ICANN: Information for Registrars and Domain Name Registrants

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DISCLAIMER

ICANN WHOIS Privacy, Take Action, Tell ICANN to Respect Privacy

URGENT: @ICANN may take away your right to protect WHOIS info. Let them know that's wrong! https://t.co/5l1FkcF93C pic.twitter.com/6W2iBGdxP9

— Namecheap.com (@Namecheap) June 20, 2015

Domain holders with sites associated to "commercial activity" will no longer be able to protect their private information with WHOIS protection services. "Commercial activity" casts a wide net, which means that a vast number of domain holders will be affected. Your privacy provider could be forced to publish your contact data in WHOIS or even give it out to anyone who complains about your website, without due process. Why should a small business owner have to publicize her home address just to have a website?

We think your privacy should be protected, regardless of whether your website is personal or commercial, and your confidential info should not be revealed without due process. If you agree, it’s time to tell ICANN.

To view the new proposed rules, visit: Privacy & Proxy Services Accreditation Issues Policy.

Demand your right to privacy and due process. Let ICANN know that you object to any release of personal information without a court order. There's no time to waste – ICANN policy discussions are already underway and the close date for comments is July 7, 2015.

Take action here: respectourprivacy.com

Thank you.


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