The evolving domain name landscape

• Author: Brian Beckham
• Position: WIPO Arbitration & Mediation Center
• Pages: 31-31

p. 31WIPO | MAGAZINE

he evolving

DOMAIN NAME

LANDSCAPE

The Internet’s Domain Name System (DNS) is set to und ergo

the largest expansion in its hi story. In June 2011, the Board of

the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

(ICANN), which oversees the architecture of the D NS, decided

to open up the generic top level doma in (gTLD) name space to

allow private entities and organ izations to acquire their own “dot.

anythi ng” online space (see WIPO Maga zine 6/2011: Navigating

an Expanded Domain Name Landscape). On June 13, 2012,

ICANN revealed that it has recei ved some 1,930 applications

for new gTLDs from applicants in 60 countries and territories.

Some 66 of these applicatio ns relate to geographical names,

and 166 of them concern Internationalized Do main Names

(IDNs) for strings in scripts such as A rabic, Chinese and Cyril-

lic, reecting the increasing inter nationalization of the Internet.

Further revealing the growing re ach of the Internet, applicants

from the Asia-Pacic region submitted 303 applications, while

applicants from Latin Am erica and Africa led 23 and 17 ap-

plications, respectively.

Some new gTLDs have been applied for by more than one a p-

plicant. Over 1,400 new gTLD strings, however, involve applica-

tions from a single applic ant. The full list of new gTLD applica-

tions is available at: http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/

application-results/strings.

ICANN hailed the event as a “historic day for th e Internet and

for the 2 billion people arou nd the world that depend on it.”

While brand owners have par ticipated in ICANN’s application

process (accounting for some 66 4 “.brand” applications), many

remain concerned a bout the increased potential for online

abuse. HSBC’s Martin Sutton, Manager, Group Fraud Risk &

Intelligence, observe s that “while HSBC’s overall plans to apply

for its own new gTLD weighed the opportunity to apply for a

‘.brand’ space as a means to point consumers to a trusted and

secure online location, the sh eer volume of potential new gTLDs

with varying registrati on business models is creating m assive

new challenges in onli ne brand management.”

The applications are open for public comment during a 60-day

period which bega n on June 13, 2012, during which ICANN will

submit these comments to inde pendent evaluation panels. For

approximately seven months, also as of Jun e 13, parties may

le a formal objection to an app lication they believe will infringe

their rights. Objections may be led on four grounds, as termed

by ICANN: string confusion, limited public interest, community,

and legal rights (i.e., trademarks and name s and acronyms of

intergovernmental organiz ations (IGOs)).

The latter category of dis putes will be administered by the

WIPO Arbitration and Medi ation Center under a Legal Rights

Objections (LRO) procedure established in collaboration with

ICANN. The WIPO Center is the global l eader in domain name

dispute resolution services (www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/).

LRO cases will be led e lectronically and are intended to be

resolved based on the ple adings, with an independent pan el

making a determination in the fo rm of a recommendation to

ICANN. In some instances, par ties may seek instead to settle

cases under the WIPO Me diation Rules. The WIPO Center pro-

vides information on the LRO p rocedure, in the form of FAQs,

at: www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/lro/.

Upon successful completion of ICANN’s full evaluation process

– including the possibility for governments to submit their obser-

vations directly to applicants or ICANN – a pplicants will sign a

contract with ICANN to operate their own pie ce of Internet real

estate. WIPO and others have consistently cau tioned that any

rollout of new gTLDs must be carefully manage d. Only time will

tell what the impact of ICANN’s introduction of over 1,000 new

gTLDs will be on brand owners and the Internet-using pu blic. ◆

By Brian Beckham,

WIPO Arbit ration & Mediation Cen ter