Organisation: Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

In order to find out whether it was technically possible to have domain names containing an apostrophe, Ukrainian experts working for Hostmaster, the operator of the Ukrainian ccTLD, have created three such domain names. Hostmaster is ready to co-operate with domain name registrars and introduce new rules making it possible for everyone to register domain names containing an apostrophe.

06 December 2011

In its latest marketing materials, domain name specialist Afilias estimates that it could be a decade before the second round of gTLD applications commence. Meanwhile, the disagreement between registries and the IP community over the funding of failed registries will be considered this week.

06 December 2011

With the application window for new gTLDs due to open next month, it was perhaps unsurprising that the most-read story in November centred on last-ditch efforts to derail the online expansion. While gTLD-related stories dominated the most-read stories on WTR, anti-counterfeiting efforts in China and Quebec’s French language visibility campaign rounded out the top five.

05 December 2011

Manwin Licensing International and Digital Playground have filed an anti-monopoly lawsuit against ICM Registry and ICANN, claiming that the ‘.xxx’ TLD was not put out to competitive bid and stating that a monopoly has been created through ICM Registry’s presumptive renewal.

18 November 2011

Last week almost 90 business associations and companies joined forces with the Association of National Advertisers to form the Coalition for Responsible Internet Domain Oversight and oppose the rollout of the gTLD programme. While some commentators have argued that the call has come too late, the ANA’s general counsel has told <i>WTR</i> that the fight will continue beyond the application window if necessary.

16 November 2011

Concern is growing among the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) representatives advising ICANN that a predicted last minute goldrush on new gTLDs will leave the organisation with too little time to process them.

07 November 2011

With the new gTLDs application window two months away, the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse is to ask ICANN to make known the likely timings of a second round of applications. The move follows fears that many brand owners are being forced into applying for a ‘.brand’ now in case they are subsequently ‘locked out’ of the new online space for years to come.

02 November 2011