In an announcement dated 11 August 2022, DotKids Foundation states that “.KIDS is the first TLD dedicated to the best interests of kids, so that parents can rest assured that their kids’ safety online is taken to heart”. As such, the .KIDS Registry Policy requires that “registrants refrain from illegal and inappropriate materials to be published through a .kids domain, including content with explicit sexuality, violence, substance abuse, profanity, or other matters typically deemed unsuitable for children or adolescents, as well as content promoting the consumption of tobacco and alcohol by children (…), and child labor, trafficking and child soldier”. Any registrant not complying with the .KIDS Guiding Principles will see their domain name suspended.
The .KIDS launch is happening in several stages, which are set out below:
- TMCH Sunrise: 11 August – 14 September 2022
During this period, trade mark holders who have registered their trade marks at the Trade Mark ClearingHouse (TMCH) will be available to apply for the corresponding domain names under .KIDS. This is a Start Date Sunrise Period, meaning that domain names will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
- Community Sunrise: 20 September – 19 October 2022
The Community Sunrise will be open to the .KIDS community, that is to say not-for-profit organisations, institutions and charities with a main mission of championing children’s rights, children’s well-being, education or child-welfare. The domain name applied for must be an exact match or an acceptable match (as determined by the Registry) of the name of the organisation’s registration documentation. Domain names will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
This phase will be directly followed by a Community Sunrise Objection Period (ending on 3 December 2022) during which the public, who will have access to the list of domain names applied for (along with the corresponding applicant’s information) on the .KIDS website, will be able to submit objections to Community Sunrise applications.
- Pioneer Domains Period: 19 October – 29 November 2022
The Pioneer program’s aim is to “encourage active and positive usage, as well as the development of relevant and robust content for .KIDS domain names”. It is “designed to identify qualified Applicants with the best potential and capabilities to maximize the development of a Kids' Best Interest Domain”.
Thus anyone wishing to register and make a commitment to use a .KIDS domain name can apply for the domain name of their choice during this period. Applicants will need to submit a concise description of their plans to use and promote their .KIDS domain name and will be required to begin such use within 60 calendar days of registration of the domain name.
Again applications will be considered on a first come, first served basis and, as above, this phase will be followed by an objection period (the “Pioneer Domains Objection Period”), which will end on 13 January 2023.
- General Availability: from 29 November 2022 onwards.
When General Availability starts, anyone agreeing to comply with the .KIDS Guiding Principles will be able to register any available domain name on a first come, first served basis.
For more information on the launch of .KIDS, please contact David Taylor or Jane Seager.
Authored by Anchovy News team.
