" TLD registries are encouraged to apply additional constraints on registrations that minimize Whole-Script Confusables as determined by Unicode Technical Report #36: Unicode Security Considerations (
http://unicode.org/reports/tr36) and Unicode Technical Standard #39: Unicode Security Mechanisms (
http://unicode.org/reports/tr39). "
In fact, the single character domain name proposed in the Request,
o.com (Latin script), is Whole-Script Confusable with
xn--0xa.com (Greek Script) and
xn--n1a.com (Cyrillic Script). At the time of this comment, the latter two are registered in the .com namespace and have been for over 14 years.
Given the above, I would welcome clarifications on the below points for the benefit of the entire ICANN community :
(i) What is each stakeholder's position on the matter. I note neither the Request nor ICANN's Review of the Request discuss the issue of Whole-Script Confusables. Moreover, there is no published policy on Whole-Script Confusables for the .com namespace at this time.
(ii) Assuming both the Guidelines and the Amendment to the .com Registry Agreement are adopted contemporaneously, will Verisign be required to update its .com IDN policy to reflect the Guidelines prior to proceeding with it's plan to release any single character domain name.
(iii) What are the "additional constraints on registrations that minimize Whole-Script Confusables" envisioned by Verisign.
(iv) In which scenario(s) can the domain name
proposed in the Request, o.com (Latin script), be safely released in accordance with the Guidelines.
Many thanks,
Jean-Sebastien Lascary