Mícheál Ó Foghlú's Weblog

CircleID's Channels

The list of CircleID's channels map out the key issues facing the Internet today. The articles in these channels can be accessed via the web portal or via RSS feeds.

CircleID Channels

As a crucial part of Internet's core functionality, the global directory structure, better know as the Domain Name System, has been a subject matter filled with technical and political challenges that have grown (and continue to grow) into numerous specific branches. CircleID channels identify key Internet related 'tension points' that members are invited to discuss, write about, comment on, analyze, offer solutions for, criticize, and gain value from.

Internet Governance
Since the creation of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the regulation of the Internet has become a heated political theme. Internet users have criticized every aspect of governing bodies from questioning the reasons for the existence of such institutes to the nature of the policies put in place and the methods used to achieve them. Others defend the existence of centralized governing organizations and the involvement of government. How do we reach consensus in a borderless geography and open frontier?

Empowering DNS
Domain Name System (DNS) is a global directory designed to map names to Internet Protocol addresses and vice versa. DNS contains billions of records, answers billions of queries, and accepts millions of updates from millions of users on an average day. Security and robustness of DNS determines the stability of the Internet and its continuous enhancement will remain a critical factor.

Top-Level Domains
Top Level Domains (TLDs) divide the Internet namespace into sectors and geographical regions. Management and use of existing TLDs, as well as the introduction of new generic Top Level Domains are matters that are still evolving and in need of good planning and sound decisions.

Registrars
Much like other Internet ventures, the business of buying and selling domain names is passed the so called “gold rush” and the “bubble” period and is now moving towards maturity and viability. The initially simple domain name registration process, handled by one organization, is now a global industry with fierce competition and intense price wars. It is filled with over one 100 accredited registrars, thousands and thousand of resellers, is facing controversies over a growing second-hand market and gaining many other specialty services. The naming business is indeed significant business!

Legal Issues
Today domain name disputes are daily occurrences that involve domain name thefts, Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policies (UDRP), cybersquatting, typosquatting, trademark protections, and more. They are issues that have caused regional and international concerns. Others have challenged the very laws that dictate the decisions made in courts. Is it time to call for yet further legal enforcements or time to question the law itself?

Addressing Spam
While spam continues to be a major issue for all individuals and organizations on the Internet, increasing levels of effort are made to fight this problem from every possible angle -- technically and legally. Some however argue that the best way to fight spam is through Internet’s very core infrastructure. In other words, we need to have closer look at the current state of Internet Protocol addressing and the domain name system.

Privacy Matters
When it comes to the Internet, the definition of Privacy tends to be an ambiguous concept that has been difficult to reach consensus on. Issues related to the collection, maintenance, use, disclosure, accuracy and processing of private information are surrounded with numerous types of debates. What is the true cost of privacy to individuals, society and to the business world? Regardless of what is decided today and tomorrow one thing is for certain; privacy matters!

IP Address & Beyond
Even the best Internet visionaries in the early 1980s could not imagine the dilemma of scale that the Internet would come to face. With realistic projections of many millions of interconnected networks in the not too distant future, the Internet faces the dilemma of choosing between limiting the rate of growth and ultimate size of the Internet, or disrupting the network by changing to new techniques or technologies. Whether it is still too early or not, the shift has begun from the current Internet Protocol (IPv4) to IPv6, the “next generation” Internet protocol. Consequently, where are we today with IPv4? What does tomorrow hold with IPv6? And how do we deal with the challenges in the road in between?

ENUM Convergence
The first and most notable convergence protocol developed to make telephone numbers recognizable by the Domain Name System (DNS). ENUM or Electronic Number Mapping offers the potential for people to be contacted through multiple media channels such as email, fax and mobile phones. While many see ENUM convergence as a significant progress, others have raised questions concerning the types of services to be offered, privacy and security issues. So what are the future implications? Welcome to the technological, commercial, and regulatory world of ENUM convergence.

Internationalized DN
Today, many efforts are underway in the Internet community to make domain names available in character sets other than ASCII. As the Internet has spread to non-English speaking people around the globe, it has become increasingly apparent that forcing the world to use domain names written only in a subset of the Latin alphabet is not ideal. Internationalized Domain Names (IDN) is considered a global trend and is likely to be adopted by a large number of websites.

Exploring Frontlines
To date, millions of domain names have been registered around the world. A high percentage of domain names registered remain unused and many others serve the purpose of protecting corporate trademarks. There are also a growing number of domain names that are being used in creative ways that leverage the true power of the Internet. What is really going on in the frontlines of the cyberspace?