The DotKids Foundation proposes the .kids gTLD as a domain dedicated to serving the global kids community. DotKids’ nature is community-based. As defined by Article 1 of United Nations Convention on the Rights of Child (http:⁄⁄www2.ohchr.org⁄english⁄law⁄crc.htm), there is a clear definition of children: they are every human under 18 years old. The DotKids Foundation will adopt the UNCRC as our guiding principle, therefore to run the domain name where we encourage children participation on Internet Governance discussion, and to promote a kids-friendly Internet space, as well as to provide support to the children community, especially to Kids-led initiatives and projects supporting kids’ best interests.
a) Adopt UNCRC as our guiding principle for operations
According to UNCRC Article 13, “the child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the childʹs choice.”
Adopting the UNCRC, DotKids Foundation believes that children are entitled to the freedom to express opinions and to have a say in matters affecting their social, economic, religious, cultural and political life online. Based on the UNCRC, DotKids Foundation have the best interests of kids in mind in the promotion of the well being of children online and uphold children’s rights
b) Encourage children’s participation online
A core principle of the Internet governance discussion is in its multi-stakeholder model, where everyone can participate. Kids is one of the important stakeholders of the Internet world as Internet is becoming widely available to many people at their early stages of development. The inclusion of children in the building process is important, and that their participation indeed also makes the multi-stakeholder model of the Internet stronger. However, there is still not enough Internet Governance discussion that involves children as they require extra guidance, facilitation and also financial support. DotKids Foundation aim to contribute to addressing these needs.
As a not-for-profit organization, DotKids Foundation is dedicated to developing and operating the .kids TLD as an economically viable registry that not only provides a kids-friendly namespace for the Internet, but also have the capability to contribute funds to projects that support the training of children to participate in global Internet governance. Furthermore, as the Foundation and the .kids TLD grows, we hope to contribute more widely to projects enhancing the wellbeing of children, especially as related to their wellbeing online, but also their general welfare.
Beyond supporting kids’ participation in global Internet governance, DotKids Foundation itself will also act as a breeding ground for kids to be involved with the Internet Governance discussion process. We will incorporate children-led groups (such as Kids Dream in Hong Kong, Kid’s Link from Fiji, and the Children’s Committee from Cambodia) as part of its organizational structure and governance, as children advisory councillors. The DotKids Foundation believes that this process not only ensures that the voices of children are heard in all policy development processes, but will also contribute to nurturing children participation in Internet governance and other global policies in general.
c) Create a kids friendly internet space
Provide an Internet space with best interests of kids in mind
Create a movement where content providers would create websites for kids from kids’ perspective -
We have published books specially designed for kids. However, there are no websites that are specifically designed for kids’ from their angles. The DotKids foundation will develop guideline for content providers for reference.
Development of relevant guideline
Kids-friendly is not primarily about safety, but also the complexity of information, effectiveness and attractiveness of its presentation to kids. In order to be truly kids-friendly, the platform should be built from a child’s point of view but not merely an illustration from the adults. For example, today there is a lot of information online, but many articles, such as on Wikipedia, even though may be kids “safe”, may not be kids “friendly”. The language, presentation and flow are all important parts of making content kids-friendly.
“.kids”, as the specific domain dedicated to the kids community, will have a core mandate to advocate the production and publishing of more kids friendly content online. One of the goals of the .kids TLD would be to develop it as a domain of choice for kids friendly content, which in turn engages the interest of kids and hence the participation of kids globally to take part in contributing to the Internet world.
UNCRC encourages the development of appropriate guidelines
According to Article 17 of the UNCRC, it encourages the development of appropriate guidelines for the protection of the child from information and material injurious to his or her well-being, bearing in mind the provisions of articles 13 and 18. The DotKids Foundations develops a set of appropriate guidelines for the takedown mechanism and the protection system to protect the children from materials on the content of the internet that may harm and disturb kids.
All .kids registrants must adopt the guideline and the failure to adhere to the guidelines will be grounds for suspension of the domain. The mechanisms for suspension is further discussed in #20e. Registrants are also encouraged to produce content and services that are kids friendly and would enhance the browsing and user experience of kids.
Protection Scheme designed and maintained by children rights experts
Beyond the standard gTLD dispute resolution (UDRP) and suspension policies (URS) the “.kids” registry will develop and implement special dispute and rapid suspension policies as mechanisms to curb inappropriate content and services. Further details are included in #20e.
d) Support and Contribute to the Children Community
As a not-for-profit organisation, DotKids is committed to contribute to the children community including the support to children’s rights, children welfare and other children oriented initiatives. The .kids TLD aims to drive not only the social value but also to leverage the economic value that could be developed from this domain to contribute back to the children community and fund projects with kids’ best interest at heart.
The Foundation hopes to serve as a sustainable source of support to various children-related initiatives and organizations. This enables the community to have sufficient resources in advocating the rights of child, especially those from developing countries and the minority groups who are always in lack of support and resources.
The utmost mission of DotKids is to make the domain name self-sustainable, while able to serve our community and meet our goals.
A. Competition
.kids helps in promoting constructive competition in the use of TLDs by promoting of kids friendly content, which in turn advances constructive competition among content providers, including education and infotainment publishers to increase kids friendly content.
B. Consumer Trust
At the heart of the .kids TLD vision is the enhancement of consumer trust: to develop a trusted, secure and stable platform with kids’ best interests in mind. While DotKids does not believe in censorship, a core policy of the .kids TLD is a rapid suspension policy to mitigate against harmful materials for kids.
C. Consumer Choice
.kids provides a choice for registrants to associate with and lend their support to kids friendly content and services. Internet users, especially kids, can choose to browse to .kids websites for kids friendly content. |