I wanted to share with you a Press Release from the The Domain Name Association (DNA), which officially launched today.
As a Director of RightoftheDot.com we are proud to be a Founding Member of the Organization. Other Founding members are: ARI Registry Services, Demand Media, Donuts, FairWinds Partners, Go Daddy, Google, Momentous, United TLD, and WhatBox?. DomainsBot Inc. and Minds + Machines
“The association will promote the interests of the domain name industry by advocating the use, adoption, and expansion of domain names as the primary tool for users to navigate the Internet.”
So it should benefit domain holders as well (except serial trademark infringers)
My other company, Worldwide Media, Inc, continues to be a Silver member of the Internet Commerce Association (ICA)
Here is the press release:
As the Internet faces a historic transformation with hundreds of new domain names coming online, an international nonprofit organization has been created to promote the interests of the domain name industry by advocating the use, adoption, and expansion of domain names as the primary tool for users to navigate the Internet.
“The domain name industry sorely lacks a vocal advocacy body that is prepared to fight for our commercial interests, and this is the gap the Domain Name Association is going to fill as the first-ever domain name industry trade group”
The Domain Name Association (DNA), launched today by companies active in the Internet sector, will educate Internet users around the world about the benefits of domain names, with a specific focus on the imminent introduction of new Top-Level Domains which will revolutionize the way we navigate the Internet. The DNA will develop educational resources and campaigns to prepare users for these changes and support the success of the new domains.
Membership is open to organizations involved in all aspects of managing domain names, including domain name registries, registrars, resellers, and registry service providers. Founding members serving on an Interim Board include ARI Registry Services, Demand Media, Donuts, FairWinds Partners, Go Daddy, Google, Momentous, United TLD, and WhatBox?. DomainsBot Inc., Minds + Machines, and RightOfTheDot, LLC are also Founding members.
The DNA aims to play a key role in helping individuals, businesses, and public-benefit organizations understand the benefits and take advantage of the upcoming expansion of Internet domains. It will also promote, advance, and support the common interests of the domain name industry with respect to provisioning, expanded adoption, and use of domain names.
“The domain name industry sorely lacks a vocal advocacy body that is prepared to fight for our commercial interests, and this is the gap the Domain Name Association is going to fill as the first-ever domain name industry trade group,” said Adrian Kinderis, Chair of the Interim Board of the DNA.
“As such, we are ideally placed to help Internet users learn about the upcoming new Top-Level Domains and to help them navigate the changing Internet landscape. We will also work to build trust, exchange ideas, educate, and raise awareness of domain related issues within the industry, and we invite all stakeholders in the domain name industry to join the DNA and work together in support of our shared objectives.”
The DNA’s first priority will be to educate Internet users around the world about new Top-Level Domains. Many Internet users are unaware that these changes are coming and they may be confused when they first arrive. The DNA is already working to develop educational resources and campaigns to prepare end users for these changes and ensure the success of the new domains. An example of the group’s efforts is the informative website whatdomain.org, an educational resource about the new Top-Level Domain program.
DNA membership is organized as a multi-tiered structure that accommodates various levels of interest and desire for participation in the work of the DNA. More information is available on the DNA website.
Industry participants are invited to join the DNA to collaborate with peers to promote and ensure mutual success through a period of major change. DNA membership will solidify a company’s role as a critical player in the next phase of the growth of the Internet, with the opportunity to influence important industry policy decisions. Members can also leverage the DNA’s marketing and education programs in their own activities, and they will receive exclusive information via newsletters and bulletins, as well as access to research results.
About the DNA
The Domain Name Association (the DNA) is a non-profit business association that represents the interests of the domain name industry. It is independent and global in scope, and its membership is open to organizations involved in the provision, support, and sale of domain names, such as domain name registries, registrars, resellers, and registry service providers.
Founding members serving on an Interim Board include ARI Registry Services, Demand Media, Donuts, FairWinds Partners, Go Daddy, Google, Momentous, United TLD, and WhatBox?. DomainsBot Inc., Minds + Machines, and RightOfTheDot, LLC are also Founding members.
The DNA’s mission is to promote the best interests of the domain name industry by advocating the use, adoption, and expansion of domain names as the primary tool for users to navigate the Internet. More information is available at www.thedna.org.
Congratulations Mike, and the entire organization. Wish you all the best of luck.
I contacted them in August 1st.
I got an anonymous and arrogant template as response.
Probably because you are French
Just kidding
Hello MHB
The players pushing the .Whatsthis?, rollout are uniting.
From a trained Market Analysts perspective, it becomes very clear that ALL search Engines will profit greatly from the .Whatsthis rollout. Why ??
Because ALL search engines profit goals depend on confused consumers looking for things to buy. Therefore any strategy that destroys Branding recognition as a solution to meet their needs, plays into their deceptive strategies.
Destoying ALL Branding Recognition creates a fertile ground for SEO misinformation and propoganda. This confusion, which they facilitate quite happily,misleads consumers and at the same time pads their Bank Accounts at the Consumers Expense. They make Billions by leaving consumers misguided and confused and totally dependent on Search Engines. Quite a lucrative Grifting Operation.
While this search engine strategy has been in place for quite some time, the .COM Franchise, to its credit remains very strong, even in the face of all this manipulative posturing. Quite a testimony to the durability of the .COM Brand. Good luck you are going to need it.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Organizations involved in all aspects of managing domain names, except the registrant. That is left out of the language.
Is the ICA still the defining organization to advocate for registrants? That would still be the organization for small fry to support, like me.
Congrats in any case. You’re in the big leagues! 🙂
i could be wrong but it seems there is more representation from new gtld companies than anything else.
Jeff
These new gTLD’s could also create new brands no?
Isn’t night.club just as a good a brand as date.me?
Of course
Yes the the ICA is ” still the defining organization to advocate for registrants” unfortunately 98% of domainers do not participate or contribute any money via paypal
Hello MHB,
We thought as much that you would of course say the .Whatsthis?, will build established Brands. To the contrary they are designed to diminish established Brands by design.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
A new gTLD can’t diminsih a brand but create more branding opps
a few years ago .me didn’t exist, .co didn’t exist and .io, .ly didn’t exist and now a new company using one of these extensions makes tech crunch or venture beat or some similar publication every day.
The world hasn’t come to an end
Brandable .Com’;s are still worth lots of money
Escrow.com says there are huge six seven and eight figure sales still going on.
So pick great brandable domains be it growup.com or date.me, or night.club or w.ink or you.bid or fast.cars
Like Jim Rome (famous sports commentator always says have a take, do not suck)
Great a great brandable domain you made a good investment pick a crappy name in whatever extension, good luck
Hello MHB,
I do agree with you that the .Whatsthis?, will deepen the pool of money ready to graduate to the .COMs Strategic advantage of preferred destination, eventually.
Cheers,
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Hello MHB,
Building Brand may be in your grand designs goals. Its your Partner Googles Grand designs, that you arent aware of, that trouble us and you may be assisting and abetting the enemy.
One thing for sure GOOGLE is not into steering traffic to .COM Foundations, leaving them out of the profit equation. Read my post again, and don’t say after the fact, we didn’t warn you.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider (Contact Group) (Metal Tiger)
Jeff
Nice to have you back, lets learn from our past mistakes, limit 3 comments per post
This post is such a repetitive hot mess I just don’t know where to begin.
Here’s to wishing your new association well; may you all eschew evil, and do what’s right for the consumer; may you put people before profit; may your association always seek light, instead of darkness. Amen.
Okay, I sent something small. I was the one who requested a Paypal button in the first place, for struggling domainers to send a small donation, and not be excluded.
There it is, buried in the Join section, after you scroll down past the platinum/gold/silver sponsers section. It used to be, one could put a charitable Paypal button right on your own website, linked to the charity’s paypal account – is that still the case?
The ability to donate the price of a renewal needs to be advertised . . . Would you write an article about it, and link to the Join page? Thanx!
Donate to the ICA
http://www.internetcommerce.org/donate
Scroll down to Step 3.