On Fri, Aug 19, 2022 at 10:40 AM Jeff Neuman via CPWG <cpwg@icann.org> wrote:

Question: Are blockchain domains part of “the Internet’s unique identifier systems”?

The argument against this being in ICANN’s mission is that Blockchain domains are not part of the “DNS”. Thus, (a) uniform or coordinates resolution is not reasonably necessary to facilitate the openness, interoperability, resilience, security and/or stability of the DNS (Section 1.1 (a)(i) of the ICANN Bylaws).

It is quite possible that Blockchain domains present a threat to the DNS or certainly impacts the DNS. So the appropriate questions for the Board/SOs/SCs and other is not how ICANN can be involved with Blockchain domains, but rather how does ICANN respond to the existence of the Blockchain Domains, if at all.

For example, will ICANN be able to delegate new TLDs in the DNS if there are conflicting Blockchain domains?

The answer appears staggeringly simple, since precedent exists.

It's out of scope. However, this means that ICANN can and should wholly ignore the blockchain domains, meaning any conflicts are 100% the headache of the blockchain domain industry to resolve.

In this sense, blockchain domain schemes such as The Handshake Network are no different from previous ICANN challenges such as AlterNIC or ORSC. They're no less dumb and doomed than AlterNIC, but that's their industry's headache and no concern of ICANN. Blockchain domains offer no more or less threat to ICANN than those did and should be treated with the same level of indifference.

As a public interest body ALAC should probably choose to keep an eye on the development in case there is potential for end-user confusion, but it hasn't happened with the other DNS wannabes and no evidence exists that this threat is any greater.

Cheers,

- Evan