Further to our announcement of 8 August 2013, Nominet is today launching a review of its registration policy for .uk domain names. The scope of the review focuses on whether there should be restrictions on the words and expressions permitted in .uk domain name registrations.
The review is to be independently chaired by former Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Macdonald QC. Lord Macdonald’s briefing and full terms of reference are available here.
Lord Macdonald will work with Nominet’s policy team to conduct a series of meetings with key stakeholders, and to review and assess wider contributions from the internet community, which should be received by 4 November 2013. The goal is to deliver a report to Nominet’s board in December of this year, which will be published shortly thereafter.
Nominet selected Lord Macdonald to chair the policy review due to his unparalleled experience and credibility as a former Director of Public Prosecutions and Trustee of Index on Censorship. His recent work in conducting a human rights audit for the Internet Watch Foundation further complements his expertise in this area. He brings a good understanding of the complexity and seriousness of the issue, alongside a strong awareness of the mechanics of the internet industry and the interests of different stakeholders.