TM v. DNS

[Jim Browning <jfbb@atmnet.net>]

Here is an idea (related to monopoly iTLDs) that might be worth exploring. 
 I'm sure you all will let me know in short order.  How about this process:

A.  Establish a meta-registry (the organization assigning iTLDs) in a 
country which has a First Come First Served trademark policy.  I think this 
is the case in, for instance, Tunisia?  (they turned our application around 
in three days)

B.  Require the request for an iTLD to be accompanied by a trademark 
registration for the requested domain.  Continuing with my example, this 
would be a Tunisian trademark.

C.  Have the meta-registry issue updates to the root servers.

This appears (to this ignorant layman) to give the meta-registry a 
reasonably defensible legal position, and a way to avoid having to accept 
responsibility for the mediation of disputes.  It will have issued root 
server data based upon trademarks issued by its own government.

Perhaps there is country with a First Come First Served trademark policy 
with better net connectivity than Tunisia (Japan?), and perhaps this is an 
approach (requiring TMs from the appropriate country to accompany domain 
requests) that could be used for second level domains as well?
--
Jim Browning <jfbb@atmnet.net>