PART 1
Essential Internet Knowledge

Chapter 2
The Administration of the Internet

Page 17 - Top Level Domain Delegation Practices


Top Level Domain Delegation Practices¹⁸
[Quoted ICANN material is copyright of ICANN and is reprinted here by permission.]

The actual "delegation" of top level domains (TLDs) on the internet is made by IANA pursuant to policies of the ICANN Board in administering RFC 1591 (reproduced at page 20 of this book). IANA policy also includes the guidance contained in ccTLD News Memo #1 of October 23, 1997.

"The DNS [Domain Name System] structure contains a hierarchy of names. The root, or highest level, of the system is unnamed. Top Level Domains (TLDs) are divided into classes based on rules that have evolved over time....¹⁹

"The Management of Delegated Domains
...
(a) Delegation of a New Top Level Domain. Delegation of a new top level domain requires the completion of a number of procedures, including the identification of a TLD manager with the requisite skills and authority to operate the TLD appropriately....

(b) TLD Manager Responsibility. TLD managers are trustees for the delegated domain, and have a duty to serve the community. The designated manager is the trustee of the TLD for both the nation, in the case of ccTLDs, and the global Internet community...

(c) Fair Treatment. The designated manager must be equitable and fair to all groups in the domain that request domain names. Specifically, the same rules must be applied to all requests and they must be processed in a non-discriminatory fashion.... [P]olicies and procedures ... must be available for public inspection....

(d) Operational Capability. The TLD manager must do a satisfactory job of operating the DNS service for the domain....

(h) Rights to Domain Names. ... [U]se of a particular domain name may be subject to applicable laws, including those concerning trademarks and other types of intellectual property.