Interlink Co., Ltd is the Registry Operator for the .earth Top-Level Domain (“Registry”). The .earth Founders Program is an initiative to recruit Internet users who are enthusiastic about the “.earth” Top-Level Domain and wish work with Registry as an early adopter to proactively develop the .earth namespace.
Please note: The Founders Program has Concluded and participation is no longer available.
Applicant: means any party, individual, organization, or business entity that submits a request for a Domain in the Founders Program.
Application: means the information, answers and proposals contained in Applicant’s request submitted to Registry Operator, as well as any subsequent information, correspondence or supplemental materials submitted to Registry Operator in connection therewith for the purpose of being approved by Registry Operator for participation in the Founders Program.
Approved Domain: means a Domain that is the subject of an Application that has been approved by Registry Operator for participation in the Founders Program.
Domain Name: means a domain name in and maintained by the Registry Operator’s database consisting of at least the domain name label and TLD together, separated by a dot (e.g., “example.earth).
Founder: means an Applicant who’s Application has been approved by Registry Operator for the Founders Program, which has agreed to the Founders Obligations herein and Registration Terms and Conditions by accepting a registration of a Founder Domain.
Founder Domain: means a Domain that has been approved by Registry Operator for participation in the Founders Program.
Founder Website: means a website developed by or on behalf of a Founder using the Approved Domain.
Registrar: means a Domain Name registrar that is (I) accredited by ICANN and (ii) has entered into a Registry-Registrar Agreement with the Registry Operator for the TLD.
Registration Terms and Conditions: means the complete terms and conditions applicable to the registration of domain in the .earth Top Level Domain.
Registry Operator: means Interlink Co., Ltd, owner and operator of the .earth Top Level Domain.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The following is a brief summary of the steps involved in acquiring a domain name in the Founders Program.
(a) Application Submission:
Applicants may submit an Application(s) for participation in the Founders Program by October 16, 2015. By submitting an Application, Applicants agree to Founders Program Obligations and Registration Terms and Conditions listed on Registry Website.
(b) Application Review:
Registry reviews Applications for compliance with Founders Program criteria and assesses the extent to which the proposed plan would contribute to the awareness and future use of the .earth TLD in a meaningful way.
(c) Approval:
Registry Operator, in its sole discretion, approves Applications it determines are best suited for the Program. Upon approval, Registry will work with Applicant to Register the domain name for an agreed upon Term at a) the Registrar of Applicants choice (if available), b) through the Registry’s own account, c) another mutually agreed upon option.
(d) Domain Allocation:
Upon allocation of the domain name to Applicant, Applicant agrees to Registration Terms and Conditions on Registry’s Website and any applicable terms and policies of Registrar.
(e) Site Development, Launch and Operation:
Considering the purpose of the Founders program, .earth Founder will be required to follow the guidelines developed by the Registry regarding the launch and operation of the Founder Domain.
Application Requirements:
Applicant must submit a request to Registry including:
(a) the desired Domain name must not be currently blocked or reserved by Registry.
(b) a description of the intended use of the domain name, which may include mock-ups of the website, and description of the how the applicant intends to implement the website and how the applicant’s use of the domain name will help enhance awareness of the .earth TLD.
Registry will review all Applications for compliance with the Terms and Conditions and will assess the extent to which Registry believes the Application is likely to contribute to the awareness of the .earth namespace in a meaningful way.
In reviewing Applications, Registry Operator may consider all relevant factors, including, without limitation:
(a) the proposed plan detailed in the Application;
(b) the Applicant’s experience, including past evidence of successful development and deployment of websites and/or online businesses;
(c) the Applicant’s technical and operational capability; and
(d) the Applicant’s financial condition, including funding available, budget allocated to the development, implementation, and operation of the Founders Website.
All decisions regarding the Program will be in Registry Operator’s sole and absolute discretion. Upon allocation of a .earth domain, the Applicant will be considered a .earth Founder. Registry shall not be obligated to provide a response or notice of rejection or reason for rejection to Applicants whose Applications were not approved.
All costs and expenses incurred by an Applicant in connection with the Application Process and/or participation in the Program as a Founder for .earth shall be the responsibility of the Applicant.
All costs and expenses incurred in the launch, operations, and maintenance of a Founder Website will be the sole responsibility of the .earth Founder.
Registry shall have no liability for any such costs or expenses or otherwise be obligated to reimburse Applicant/.earth Founder for any such costs. .earth Founder is responsible for ensuring all applicable requirements for Registration of a .earth Domain are met.
The .earth Founder:
(a) must launch a .earth Founder Website or redirect the Founder Domain to a live website by a mutually agreed upon date prior to November 19, 2015;
(b) must not unreasonably withhold consent for Registry to issue a press release announcing the .earth Founder, the Founder’s website and related activities such as proactively marketing and promoting the .earth TLD using the Founder’ Domain name and website as use-case examples;
(c) must provide Registry with the right to link to the .earth Founder’s Website and to use in good faith .earth Founder’s name, likeness, trademarks, logos as well as other .earth Founder information and content as may be mutually agreed, in Registry Operator’s marketing, promotional and communications materials; and
(d) must maintain the .earth Founder Website, with minimal down time, content must be unique, meaningful, with user-friendly interfaces.
– Only domains that are eligible under the Registration Terms and Conditions will be allowed.
– A successful Applicant may not assign, transfer, sell or in any way give authority to a third party (except in connection with the sale of all or substantially all of the equity or assets of the Applicant – in this case the new entity will be required to agree to the Terms and Conditions) during the initial agreed upon Term.
– Approved Domains may not be used for any of the following:
(a) deceptive or manipulative purposes intended to benefit from misdirected or unintended traffic;
(b) Promotion of pornography, violence and or any other illegal activity;
(c) gambling; and
(d) content that would any way harm the .earth TLD, the Registry, subcontractors, affiliates, or their respective owners, officers, directors, members or employees.
Registry, in its sole discretion, reserves the rights to revoke approved Domains for any other action or use by Applicant (.earth Founder) it deems as abusive.
The Founder Obligations are in effect for the first year of the Founder Domain registration term.
Policy Last Modified: 9/14/2015