.FLICKR New gTLD Application
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New gTLD Application Submitted to ICANN by: Yahoo! Domain Services Inc.
Application Downloaded On: 09 Jan 2014
String: FLICKR
Application ID: 1-1168-54294
Applicant Information
- Full legal name
Yahoo! Domain Services Inc.
- Address of the principal place of business
701 First Avenue Sunnyvale, California - 94089 US
- Phone number
+1 408 349 3300
- Fax number
+1 408 349 3400
- If applicable, website or URL
Primary Contact
6(a). Name
Lorna Gradden
6(b). Title
Operations Director
6(c). Address
6(d). Phone Number
+44 207 421 8250
6(e). Fax Number
+44 870 011 8187
6(f). Email Address
Secondary Contact
7(a). Name
Laura Covington
7(b). Title
Vice President, Intellectual Property Policy
7(c). Address
7(d). Phone Number
+1 408 349 5187
7(e). Fax Number
7(f). Email Address
Proof of Legal Establishment
8(a). Legal form of the Applicant
Corporation
8(b). State the specific national or other jurisdiction that defines the type of entity identified in 8(a).
Delaware, US
8(c). Attach evidence of the applicant's establishment.
Attachments are not displayed on this form.
9(a). If applying company is publicly traded, provide the exchange and symbol.
9(b). If the applying entity is a subsidiary, provide the parent company.
Yahoo! Inc.
9(c). If the applying entity is a joint venture, list all joint venture partners.
Applicant Background
11(a). Name(s) and position(s) of all directors
Name
Position
Aman Sudhir Kothari Director, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
Ronald S. Bell Director, Vice President and Secretary
11(b). Name(s) and position(s) of all officers and partners
Name
Position
Aman Sudhir Kothari Director, President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
Ronald S. Bell Director, Vice President and Secretary
11(c). Name(s) and position(s) of all shareholders holding at least 15% of shares
Name
Position
Yahoo! Inc. Not Applicable
11(d). For an applying entity that does not have directors, officers, partners, or shareholders: Name(s) and position(s) of all individuals having legal or executive responsibility
Applied-for gTLD string
- Provide the applied-for gTLD string. If an IDN, provide the U-label.
FLICKR
14A. If applying for an IDN, provide the A-label (beginning with "xn--").
14B. If an IDN, provide the meaning, or restatement of the string in English, that is, a description of the literal meaning of the string in the opinion of the applicant.
14C1. If an IDN, provide the language of the label (in English).
14C2. If an IDN, provide the language of the label (as referenced by ISO-639-1).
14D1. If an IDN, provide the script of the label (in English).
14D2. If an IDN, provide the script of the label (as referenced by ISO 15924).
14E. If an IDN, list all code points contained in the U-label according to Unicode form.
15A. If an IDN, upload IDN tables for the proposed registry. An IDN table must include:
the applied-for gTLD string relevant to the tables,
the script or language designator (as defined in BCP 47),
table version number,
effective date (DD Month YYYY), and
contact name, email address, and phone number.
Submission of IDN tables in a standards-based format is encouraged.
15B. Describe the process used for development of the IDN tables submitted, including consultations and sources used.
15C. List any variants to the applied-for gTLD string according to the relevant IDN tables.
- Describe the applicant's efforts to ensure that there are no known operational or rendering problems concerning the applied-for gTLD string. If such issues are known, describe steps that will be taken to mitigate these issues in software and other applications.
As the applied-for gTLD string is not an IDN and is consistent with the requirements of the Applicant Guidebook Section 2.2.1.3.2 (String Requirements), Yahoo! Domain Services Inc. does not believe there are any known operational or rendering problems concerning the string.
- OPTIONAL.
Provide a representation of the label according to the International Phonetic Alphabet (http://www.langsci.ucl.ac.uk/ipa/).
18A. Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD.
Describe the Mission and Purpose of your gTLD.
Flickr has a well-deserved reputation as the best online photo management and sharing application in the world. Flickr makes it easy for internet users to store, sort, search and share their photos online. The Flickr service features unlimited storage, a simple upload interface and advertising-free browsing and sharing. Flickr can be accessed from a wide variety of internet enabled devices and there is a very popular app for mobile.
In June 2011, Flickr had a total of 51 million registered members and 80 million unique visitors. In August 2011 Flickr was hosting more than 6 billion images.
Flickr was acquired by Yahoo! in 2005 and is now one of the most important businesses in Yahoo’s Communications and Communities division.
Yahoo! Inc. is a premier digital media company which delivers personalised digital content and experiences across devices and around the globe to vast audiences.
Yahoo! Inc was developed in 1994 by founders, David Filo and Jerry Yang and incorporated in 1995. We are a Delaware corporation with headquarters in Sunnyvale, California, and employ over 10,000 staff who are based in offices in more than 25 countries, regions and territories. Yahoo! has been a publicly traded company since 2006 and in the 2010⁄2011 year had revenues of $6.3 billion.
Flickr, like Yahoo!’s most important products, is marketed in more than 25 languages across 50 countries, regions and territories.
Yahoo! Domain Services (YDS), a subsidiary of Yahoo! Inc. will manage Yahoo! Inc.’s gTLD domain name matters, including the .flickr TLD. YDS’s goal is to assist Yahoo! Inc. with building and operating a cutting-edge domain name registry and creating a unique space where customers and internet users can learn about .flickr products and services in a targeted manner. YDS is applying for .flickr which it will manage for Yahoo! Inc.
The .flickr registry will be a standard registry, not community-based. Its purpose will be to:
- Ensure Flickr remains at the forefront of innovation by keeping pace with internet technology developments in line with other leading digital media companies;
- Protect Yahoo’s intellectual property and ensure that the integrity of the Flickr brand is maintained at the highest possible level in the domain name system; and
- Provide a platform for the secure expansion of the Flickr service.
In this answer, the terms “We” and “Our” may refer to either Yahoo! Inc or Yahoo Domain Services.
18B. How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?
We believe that the .flickr registry will assist Yahoo! in accomplishing its mission of creating a content, communications, and community platform that delivers rich consumer experiences and advertising solutions across the screens of people’s lives — from desktops to mobile devices, from tablets to connected TVs.
YDS intends to commission consumer marketing research to gauge customer reaction to the new gTLDs and to identify the most effective and safest way to market and provide services through the .flickr TLD. During this initial research period, the registry will be used for internal communications.
We believe that the .flickr registry will benefit our customers and internet users all over the globe: a new .flickr registry could in time become a secure platform for the Flickr suite of services. It is important to Yahoo! to explore all avenues of innovation that could enhance stable and secure delivery of our services and content.
What is the goal of your proposed gTLD in terms of areas of speciality, service levels and reputation?
Flickr is perhaps the best known online photo management and sharing application in the world. Our goal for the .flickr registry is to enhance our reputation for innovation.
In terms of speciality, we look forward to using a single, shorter, globally applicable domain which exactly matches our brand across all the jurisdictions where we have customers. A shorter domain will make it easier for customers to locate Flickr information more efficiently.
In terms of service and reputation, YDS will ensure that the .flickr registry features the same high levels of security, quality and customer service that are applied across all Yahoo! services, making Yahoo! one of the most trusted brands on the internet.
What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space in terms of competition, differentiation or innovation?
We are known for our creativity so we are eager to operate a registry with shorter domain names that are universally applicable. We feel .flickr is an address which offers clarity by equating the domain with the brand itself, and will enable our customers to place their trust in our registry, knowing that they are accessing genuine Flickr content under a .flickr domain.
Only Flickr and Yahoo! personnel and affiliates will be able to register second level domain names in the .flickr registry and they will be pre-validated by YDS. We will be differentiated through this level of control from existing TLDs because internet users will not have to worry about corruption, security, or false or inaccurate information under a .flickr domain.
Flickr is a recognized leader in innovating and enhancing online photo management and sharing services. We believe that the .flickr registry will be a platform that enables us to provide information and services to our customers in a more technologically advanced way than is currently possible. We look forward to exploring advances in speed, security and stability which some are predicting a new TLD will bring.
What goals does your proposed gTLD have in terms of user experience?
We believe that our customers will know they are in a trusted and authentic destination once they arrive at the new gTLD regardless of their geographic location. We want them to be confident that they will receive accurate information and that their sensitive personal details will be protected. We hope to use our TLD to support innovative new services, enriching the experience of internet users.
YDS will ensure that there is an online query system to assist anyone with queries about the .flickr registry. Furthermore, we will provide and promote the details of our Abuse Point of Contact which will be available 24⁄7 and we will comply with all requests from courts, law enforcement, and governmental bodies, and any decisions⁄judgments from UDRP and URS panels.
Provide a complete description of the applicant’s intended registration policies in support of the goals above.
Yahoo! Domain Services is the operator of the .flickr registry. The Yahoo Domain Services team is responsible for the development, maintenance and enforcement of the .Flickr Domain Management Policy. This policy defines the rules associated with eligibility and domain name allocation, sets out the terms governing the use of a .flickr domain name and describes the dispute resolution policies for the .flickr gTLD. This policy is intended to be updated and revised regularly to reflect Yahoo’s commercial and strategic interests for Flickr and, where appropriate, ICANN consensus policies and the adoption of new gTLDs by internet users.
Registration of a .flickr domain name will be undertaken in four steps: Eligibility Confirmation, Naming Convention Check, Acceptable Use Review, and finally Registration. All domains in the .flickr registry will remain the property of YDS.
Only Yahoo! and its affiliates will be able to register second level domain names in the .flickr registry.
Users of .flickr names must utilize their domains solely for purposes that enhance Flickr’s strategic or commercial interests. Domains within .flickr may not be used in a way which knowingly infringe any third party intellectual property rights.
.flickr domains may not be delegated or assigned to external organizations, institutions, or individuals.
All .flickr domains will carry accurate and up to date registration records which have been validated. The .flickr Whois will be accurate.
The Yahoo! Domain Services Team may revoke a .flickr domain name at any time in line with Yahoo’s corporate and strategic interests.
Internationalized domain names (IDN) may be supported in the .flickr registry at the second level.
Each applied for A-label character string must conform to the .flickr rules of eligibility. Each .flickr name must:
- Be at least 1 character and no more than 63 characters long;
- Not contain a hyphen on the 3rd and 4th position (except for IDNs);
- Contain only letters (a-z), numbers (0-9) and hyphens or a combination of these;
- Start and end with an alphanumeric character, not a hyphen;
- Not match any character strings reserved by ICANN;
- Not match any protected country names or geographical terms; and
- Not be an obscene or offensive term.
The .flickr registry will be ICANN compliant: the registry will interface with the Trademark Clearinghouse, operate a Sunrise and IP Claims and all registrants must comply with the UDRP and the URS. There will be a Thick Whois. Yahoo! Domain Services will co-operate with any complaints under the PDDRP. The .flickr registry will be responsive to legal rights owners.
Will your proposed gTLD impose any measures for protecting the privacy of confidential information of registrants or users?
As an international digital media provider, the protection of a wide range of customer and employee data is of utmost importance to us and we take our responsibility to protect confidential information very seriously. See the Flickr privacy policy at http:⁄⁄info.flickr.com⁄privacy⁄us⁄yahoo⁄details.html
The .flickr registry will protect confidential information. We will comply with the Personal Data obligations of the ICANN Registry Agreement. As required, approved personnel will be registered as data handlers and trained to ensure compliance with ICANN’s requirements. We will:
- Document policies and procedures including an escalation process;
- Use appropriate levels of encryption and physical security;
- Train key staff and ensure responsibilities are understood and documented in rules of conduct;
- Limit access to records only to those employees or service providers who need access for the performance of their job duties;
- Regularly test implemented procedures;
- Monitor best practices and ICANN’s mandated and recommended policies
- Audit the work of providers including the Escrow provider; and
- Report any attempts to gain unauthorised access to appropriate enforcement authorities as required by law.
Describe whether and in what ways outreach and communications will help to achieve your projected benefits?
YDS will ensure that only Flickr personnel and its affiliates will be able to register second level domain names in the .flickr registry. YDS will produce and publish guidelines internally to provide clarity on who can request a .flickr domain and these will also define acceptable use. A home page for the .flickr registry will be created using straightforward messaging so that our policies are understood.
In time, as the new gTLDs are accepted by internet users, we may create and implement a marketing campaign to inform the public about the .flickr TLD and the information and services available there. This campaign could include carefully targeted Below The Line activities including Direct Marketing to reach Flickr users and inform them of our new gTLD and how it can be trusted.
18C. What operating rules will you adopt to eliminate or minimize social costs (e.g., time or financial resource costs, as well as various types of consumer vulnerabilities)? What other steps will you take to minimize negative consequences/costs imposed upon consumers?
As previously stated, the .flickr registry will be closed to third parties beyond Flickr, Yahoo! and its affiliates. Social costs and negative consequences on consumers will most likely be eliminated and, at a minimum, significantly mitigated.
How will multiple applications for a particular domain be resolved, for example, by auction or on a first come first served basis?
There will be no market for .flickr domains. Domains will only be provisioned to validated eligible Flickr and Yahoo! personnel and affiliates. We do not have plans to allow .flickr domains to be sold on the retail market and our policies will not allow them to be assigned. Therefore we do not anticipate receiving multiple applications for a particular domain. This should obviate the need for any resolution.
Explain any cost benefits for registrants you intend to implement (e.g. advantageous pricing, introductory discounts, bulk registration discounts).
Domains in the .flickr registry are intended to support Yahoo’s business goals. Our registry is not being designed as a profit center. The question of cost benefits is therefore irrelevant in this instance.
The Registry Agreement requires that registrars be offered the option to obtain initial domain name registrations for periods of one to ten years at the discretion of the registrar, but no greater than 10 years. Additionally the Registry Agreement requires advance written notice of price increases. Do you intend to make contractual commitments to registrants regarding the magnitude of price escalation?
Third parties such as members of the public will not be eligible to register in the .flickr registry. Our policies and the vigilance of YDS will prevent the sale or assignment of .flickr domains to third parties. Without any market for .flickr domains, there is no need to make commitments in terms of price although we will, of course, comply with the provisions of Section 2.10 of the Registry Agreement and any other applicable ICANN consensus policies.
Before launching the .flickr TLD, YDS will develop and publish its policies and guidelines, setting out full details of how the registry will implement its vision and purpose as set out in this answer. YDS, on behalf of Yahoo! Inc, may adapt its policies and proposed use of the gTLD, in a manner consistent with the purpose, to reflect changes in its business and the adoption of new gTLDs by the community.