Giving FCC authority to auction Internet top-level Internet domai...
Giving FCC authority to auction Internet top-level Internet domain (TLD) .us would be far preferable to NTIA’s plan to shift its operation to private company, said House Telecom Subcommittee ranking Democrat Markey (Mass.). “I strongly suggest that the Department…
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of Commerce [DoC] reconsider this proposal,” Markey said in a July 20 letter to Commerce Secy. Donald Evans. The .us TLD is “a public asset,” he wrote, but even if DoC decides in favor of commercial management, “it is inexcusable to give away this public asset without due compensation to the American people.” It’s “far better” to transfer .us to FCC, which then could sell it at auction to highest bidder, he said. In July 18 letter to Evans, Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Hollings (D- S.C.), and Sens. Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Kerry (D-Mass.) said NTIA’s plan “seems premature and may not be in the public interest.” Several groups have proposed that .us be run by nonprofit that would use any profits gained from domain-name registrations for activities that benefit public interest, lawmakers said. NTIA should delay further action until new NTIA director is confirmed, they said.