Verisign Retracts Plan to Terminate .name Domains
Existing .name domains and email redirects are saved after a long legal battle.
1Verisign Reverses Domain Termination
Verisign has officially retracted its controversial plan to terminate 22,000 existing .name domain names and associated email redirects. This decision follows a prolonged and expensive legal battle involving numerous stakeholders. While the company will cease accepting new registrations for third-level .name domains, all currently active domains will remain operational indefinitely for users.
2Community-Led Legal Resistance
The reversal was achieved through a massive, coordinated team effort by domain owners and legal experts. Individuals like Doytchin initiated the resistance, while others like Jim traveled to Bali to present the case directly to ICANN. This collective action successfully challenged the bureaucratic processes that initially threatened the existence of these digital assets.
3Formal Reconsideration Requests Filed
A group of dedicated contributors, including Patrik, Troy, Huyen, Keith, Judy, Erik, and Ryan, submitted formal reconsideration requests to ICANN. These documents were critical in forcing a review of the termination policy. The legal team, led by Jan, Flip, and Diégo, utilized comprehensive legal strategies to challenge the authority and rationale behind the proposed deletions.
4Broad Support Network Mobilized
The campaign garnered significant backing from a wide network of supporters who filed formal letters of advocacy. Notable contributors included Beverly, Stefan, Vaughan, Irv, Pablo, Larry, Lionel, Daniel, Ori, Markus, Kirk, Ed, Jeremy, Stephan, Matija, Jan, Simon, Mark, and Evan. Their unified voices provided the necessary pressure to influence the final outcome.
5Internal ICANN Courage Cited
The author specifically acknowledged the role of courageous individuals within ICANN who stood against the organization's internal bureaucracy. These unnamed internal figures played a pivotal role in facilitating the reversal. Their willingness to engage with the affected parties demonstrated a rare level of transparency and responsiveness within the complex global internet governance structure.
6Future of .name Registrations
While existing users are protected, the policy change marks a definitive shift for the .name top-level domain. Verisign will no longer permit new registrations for third-level .name domains moving forward. This effectively freezes the current ecosystem, ensuring that those who fought for their digital presence retain their property while preventing any further expansion.
7Impact on Digital Assets
The preservation of these 22,000 domains prevents a significant loss of digital history and personal infrastructure for many users. Email redirects, which are vital for maintaining communication continuity, were also saved from deletion. This outcome serves as a case study for how individual users can successfully challenge large corporate entities and regulators.
8Significance of the Victory
This resolution highlights the power of organized advocacy in the realm of internet governance. By successfully navigating the complex intersection of corporate policy and ICANN oversight, the community secured a permanent reprieve for their domains. The case underscores the importance of vigilance when managing digital assets that rely on centralized registry service providers.
Original article: Hacker News — Verisign Retracts Plan to Terminate .name Domains