top level domains
Latest
ICANN shows the full generic TLD application list, Google's bidding splurge
ICANN told us that June 13th was the golden day that we'd get to see all of the initial applications for generic top-level domains (gTLDs), and the full list has surfaced on cue. The early roster shows a lot of competition for certain domains -- we're seeing a baker's dozen in companies trying for .app alone. Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and other companies are understandably trying to protect their brand names, but we're just now seeing the full extent of Google's gTLD madness: we're counting 101 instances in which the search firm has tentatively pulled the $185,000 trigger. ICANN still has to settle on which bidders get the domains they want, though, and there's no certainty that Google will fulfill its dreams. When even the cherished .lol domain has a challenger, you know the competition is getting fierce.
ICANN has .xxx domain names? Yes!
The controversial step to approve .xxx domain names has today been taken by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, paving the way for a whole slew of new addresses suffixed by the famous triplicate x. Funnily enough, before the decision was made today, opposition to it was proffered by both conservative groups opposed to pornography and adult entertainment companies fearing they'd be more easily compartmentalized and potentially blocked by overzealous governments. Moreover, every popular adult website at present will pretty much be forced to buy its .xxx version, which, for an industry famous for its frugality, will be an understandably tough pill to swallow. We are surprised not to see the people of Amsterdam consulted, however -- their city's emblem features three Xs too, shouldn't they have a say in this? A further meeting is scheduled by ICANN for June 20th to discuss opening up all possible domain name suffixes to registration, pending the validation of a set of guidelines for approval. That's looking quite likely to be passed too, as the AFP sagely notes that there's a celebratory party scheduled for two days after the event. URLs are about to get a lot more varied, it seems; they're certainly going to feature a lot more of the (English) alphabet's 24th letter, whatever the case.
