ICANN in a dilemma: Should we approve the .retardio domain name or not?
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Recently, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has been caught in a dilemma, with the focus on whether to approve the new generic top-level domain ".retardio". The domain name was jointly applied by Unstoppable Domains and its clients, and has the same name as a meme coin cryptocurrency.
Source of the controversy over sensitive words
The word "retard" was originally a medical term used to describe people with intellectual disabilities, but in the process of evolution, it has become a discriminatory and insulting curse word in many English-speaking countries, and is often referred to as the "R-word" to avoid direct offense. The Special Olympics has long been committed to resisting the use of this word and has also held annual publicity activities.
Applications are faced with many obstacles
1. Potential GAC veto: ICANN's Government Advisory Committee (GAC) has the right to recommend the rejection of an application based on public policy considerations. Given the sensitivity of "retard", it is likely to trigger joint opposition from many governments.
2. Public interest objection risk: According to the "limited public interest objection" procedure, any person or organization who believes that a domain name violates the moral and public order norms recognized by international law can raise an objection. The International Olympic Committee, Special Olympics and other disability rights protection groups are likely to object based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A successful objection will force the applicant to withdraw the application.
The decision has far-reaching implications
ICANN's draft applicant guide clearly states that applicants must pay attention to the limits of freedom of speech. Under this provision, the prospects for the ".retardio" domain name application are unclear. Approval of the application will cause dissatisfaction among disabled groups and rights protection organizations; rejection may result in the applicant questioning the fairness of the review. This decision has a significant impact on ICANN's credibility and will set an important precedent for future domain name approvals, which has attracted much attention from the global Internet industry.
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