All,

The ICANN Board has determined that they cannot have RVCs in Registry Commitments at all if they restrict content.  In other words, the ICANN Board believes that it will violate their bylaws even if a registry outsources the enforcement of RVCs, if the RVC is documented in the Registry Agreement.  Apparently, this is in a resolution passed by ICANN this past weekend.

The Board believes that Registries can work out their own regimes to enforce content restrictions, but they cannot be in the ICANN Agreement.  

I am not sure what this means even in connection with sensitive strings.  We will have to talk to the Board about this.  I am also not sure what this means if the GAC provides advice against a string that involves content.  How will that be resolved?

Sincerely,

Jeff Neuman

GNSO Liaison to GAC