THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT ASKS PUBLIC TO COMMENT ON

ISSUES INVOLVING THE REGISTRATION OF INTERNET DOMAIN NAMES

The Commerce Department is requesting public comment on this issue to address increasing public concern about Internet domain name registration systems. The enormous growth and commercialization of the Internet has burdened current domain name registration systems and raised numerous issues, including questions about the interrelationship of domain name registrations and registered trademarks, governance of domain name registration systems, conflicts among domain name systems, processes for dispute resolution, and the international implications of all of these issues.

"The Internet has thrived in an environment of communal discussion and consensual decision making, largely free from government regulation," said Commerce Secretary William Daley. "Many believe that its extraordinary growth and success stem, at least in part, from its decentralized structure and bottom-up self-regulatory governance. The Clinton Administration strongly believes that our challenge is to resolve these issues within that unique structure and governance."

In this week's Federal Register notice, the Commerce Department asks for comments on six proposed principles that it hopes will help spur consensus. The notice also asks for comment on the Internet domain name issues that need to be resolved to realize the Internet's promise for electronic commerce.

"It is our hope that by creating a public record of the comments, all who are interested in resolving these issues can benefit from one another's thinking and that this public record will itself further the process of agreement being reached on key issues," said Larry Irving, assistant secretary of Commerce and administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

The Federal Register Notice will be posted on NTIA's home page at http://www.ntia.doc.gov; hard copies are available by calling NTIA's Office of Public Affairs at 202-482-3999. Commenters are asked to send electronic comments to dns@ntia.doc.gov or mail written comments to attn. Patrice Washington, NTIA Public Affairs, 14th and Constitution, NW, Room 4898, Washington, DC 20230. Comments are due by August 18, 1997. All of the comments will be posted on NTIA's home page. For further information, please call NTIA's Office of Chief Counsel at (202) 482-1816.