Explosion of new domain names presents risks for online brands
On 1 November 1 2008, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will meet in Cairo, Egypt to discuss the introduction of new top level domain names (gTLD); current examples in use are .com, .net, and .biz.
The proposal calls for the adoption of new gTLDs to facilitate choice and competition in the domain name registration services. ICANN's proposal will include the introduction of geographic designations, such country or territory codes (.us and .uk) as well as city names. These new designations would require supporting documentation for registration.
“ICANN's goal is to give end-users more choice in their presence on the internet and stimulate competition,” said Darin M Klemchuk. “However, critics have compared the introduction of new domains with the printing of money: the value of your current registration is decreased because of possible brand dilution and public confusion, while the cost of protecting one's brand increases.”
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