Hello again George, Please understand that staff is in no way shielding FORUM or anyone, nor are we censoring questions. We are merely trying to facilitate the session which is focused on the providers' rules and practices as regards the URS. As mentioned, your question will be referred to Renee and included in the record of this session. Staff cannot speak for the co-chairs but it may also be possible to come back to it at the end of the session if time permits. Thank you. Mary, Julie, Ariel & Berry On 3/15/18, 09:16, "George Kirikos" <icann@leap.com> wrote: Mary, With respect, the questions (plural, there are 2) should be asked today. They even go directly to slide #3, NAF's "About Us" (and didn't need to wait until the end). I understand they are "difficult" questions, but ICANN staff shouldn't be shielding NAF from the tough questions. No one else who is "live" in San Juan is having their questions screened or censored. Why are remote participants second-class citizens, being treated differently? Sincerely, George Kirikos 416-588-0269 https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.leap.com_&d=DwIFaQ&c... On Thu, Mar 15, 2018 at 9:12 AM, Mary Wong <mary.wong@icann.org> wrote: > Hello George, > > Given the number of topics and material that the three providers plan to cover in the session today, we are hoping that questions to be read out today can be specific to the URS, whether those be about a particular provider's practice or procedures, or directed to all three. As Ariel noted, we will be publishing notes of all questions that were asked, and we will certainly draw Renee's attention to your question - this way, there will be a full published record of all questions, responses and discussions that took place in and around this session. > > Thanks and cheers > Mary > > On 3/15/18, 08:57, "gnso-rpm-wg on behalf of George Kirikos" <gnso-rpm-wg-bounces@icann.org on behalf of icann@leap.com> wrote: > > Hi Ariel, > > With respect, NAF is by far the largest URS provider, so I'd like the > question asked today. If they don't want to answer today, then that > should be noted. Accountability and neutrality of providers is an > important issue in this PDP, so the questions are within scope. > > Phil just asked a question (2-part question) specifically to ADNDRC, > so I'm certainly entitled to ask a question just to NAF, given that > precedent (he's asking while I'm typing this email). > > Sincerely, > > George Kirikos > 416-588-0269 > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.leap.com_&d=DwIGaQ&c... > > > > > On Thu, Mar 15, 2018 at 8:51 AM, Ariel Liang <ariel.liang@icann.org> wrote: > > Hello George, > > > > Thank you for sending your questions to the mailing list. We have noted your questions. > > > > Since your questions are specific to FORUM, we will refer your questions to Renee after the session. We will also publish notes of the Q&A with the Providers after the session. > > > > Thank you very much! > > > > Best Regards, > > Ariel Liang > > > > > > On 3/15/18, 8:45 AM, "gnso-rpm-wg on behalf of George Kirikos" <gnso-rpm-wg-bounces@icann.org on behalf of icann@leap.com> wrote: > > > > Correction, for [2] there was a typo. It should have been: > > > > (2) In light of [B], who are the beneficial owners of NAF, and do they > > have any **TIES** to the trademark industry, law firms, or anyone else > > that might affect its neutrality? In other words, what is the > > "Statement of Interest" (SOI) for NAF itself as an organization? > > > > > > Sincerely, > > > > George Kirikos > > 416-588-0269 > > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.leap.com_&d=DwIGaQ&c... > > > > > > > > > > On Thu, Mar 15, 2018 at 8:42 AM, George Kirikos <icann@leap.com> wrote: > > > [with the Adobe Connect down, it seems remote participants can only > > > ask questions via email] > > > > > > For NAF: > > > > > > According to: > > > > > > [A] https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__fedsoc.org_commentary_p... > > > > > > "On July 20, 2009, Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson announced > > > that the country’s largest arbitrator of credit-card and > > > consumer-collection disputes would no longer handle consumer > > > arbitrations. > > > > > > The National Arbitration Forum’s decision to end its > > > consumer-arbitration business resulted from a settlement it reached > > > with the State of Minnesota less than a week after Attorney General > > > Swanson sued the company in Ramsey County, Minnesota, accusing the > > > company of violating Minnesota’s consumer-fraud, > > > deceptive-trade-practices, and false-advertising statutes." > > > > > > [B] https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.creditcards.com_cre... > > > > > > "The lawsuit claims the NAF, the largest arbitration company in the > > > United States, violates state consumer fraud and deceptive trade laws > > > by hiding its financial ties to collection agencies and credit card > > > companies. The lawsuit also claims the company violates false > > > advertising laws by misrepresenting themselves as a neutral > > > organization. " > > > > > > My questions are: (for NAF) > > > > > > (1) In light of [A], how do NAF's business practices in handling > > > domain name disputes differ from those in the consumer-arbitration > > > business which it left, and how can domain name registrants be > > > confident that the same abuses which were alleged in consumer > > > arbitrations are not present in its domain name dispute business? > > > > > > (2) In light of [B], who are the beneficial owners of NAF, and do they > > > have any times to the trademark industry, law firms, or anyone else > > > that might affect its neutrality? In other words, what is the > > > "Statement of Interest" (SOI) for NAF itself as an organization? > > > > > > Sincerely, > > > > > > George Kirikos > > > 416-588-0269 > > > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.leap.com_&d=DwIGaQ&c... > > > > > > P.S. Further background info at: > > > > > > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__library.nclc.org_sites_... > > > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.citizen.org_sites_d... > > > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__en.wikipedia.org_wiki_F... > > _______________________________________________ > > gnso-rpm-wg mailing list > > gnso-rpm-wg@icann.org > > https://mm.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/gnso-rpm-wg > > > _______________________________________________ > gnso-rpm-wg mailing list > gnso-rpm-wg@icann.org > https://mm.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/gnso-rpm-wg >