<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">At Meeting 37, in Phoenix, Francisco Arias spoke about the ICANN new gTLDs program. At the time we discussed “Specification 13” which is better known as .brand. This is a contract specification that allows gTLD owners to restrict usage of their gTLD to certain parties. At the time it seemed like this was the right indicator to determine if a single organization could claim control over a whole namespace starting with the TLD.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">However I have recently found out that Specification 13 does not mean that a single organization is responsible for all registered domains. Instead is it “Specification 9” which means such. <a href="https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/applicants/agb/base-agreement-contracting/ccer" class="">https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/applicants/agb/base-agreement-contracting/ccer</a> lists the rules for Spec9 TLDs: </div><ol style="margin: 1.5em 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 30px; color: rgb(99, 99, 99); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; list-style: lower-roman;" class=""><li class="">All domain name registrations in the TLD are registered to, and maintained by, Registry Operator for the exclusive use of Registry Operator or its affiliates;</li><li class="">Registry Operator does not sell, distribute or transfer control or use of any registrations in the TLD to any third party that is not an affiliate of Registry Operator</li></ol><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">So CAs that are issuing certificates for *.<gTLD> should probably look to spec9 rather than spec13.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Thanks,</div><div class="">Peter</div></body></html>