(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — The Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (www.pts.se/en-gb/), which is responsible for the country’s electronic communications, considers there is a need to inspect domains prior to registration containing words on a “block list.” After lobbying from the Swedish Bankers’ Association, the first word on the list is “bank,” which would keep those who do not fulfill the legal requirements of a bank from registering.
Registrars have noted that by enforcing this rule, however, the PTS could be making a departure from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ (www.icann.org) international standards. The ICANN’s Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy specifies that issues are solved once they arise after registration – not before. Reports say that the national .SE registry is threatened with a fine and must respond by October 1.
Web host Binero (www.binero.se) is running Namnbank.se (www.namnbank.se), a petition protesting the PTS’ decision. Already at more than 6,400 names, the list has been quickly growing. While the actual four letter string “bank” restricts, for instance blood banks or job banks, Binero chief executive officer Anders Aleborg explains that it could set a dangerous precedent.
“To diverge from the democratic country norm of problem resolution post rather than pre registration, and to do it for a common word and name like ‘Bank’ is dangerous,” Binero chief executive officer Anders Aleborg said in a statement. “It makes it legally and logically plausible for many groups to lobby for scrutinizing an unforeseeable number of other words and names pre-registration as well.”
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