The new era of internet identity – it’s not the Wild West anymore
Today ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) has opened up applications for new generic top level domains (gTLD), allowing interested parties to apply to own and run new domain name strings.
In an enormous change for the domain name system, the new gTLDs open up a new era in online identity, allowing domains not associated just with geographic locations such as .co.nz or type of organisation such as .school.nz or .org, but entirely new domains offering much more flexibility and richer identity. President of ICANN Rod Beckstrom has called this the biggest change since the initial launch of dot.com.
The application and assessment process is likely to take much of 2012, with new domains expected to be open for business early in 2013. Some early potential domains include more granular geographic domains, such as .nyc, .tokyo and .london, cause related domains such as .eco and .green, commercial domains such as .adidas and .facebook and national identities such as .scot and .irish.
For New Zealanders, the World Wide Web will open up to include .kiwi , allowing New Zealanders the world over a new way of proclaiming their identity, wherever they may be.
What does it mean for my business?
The potential impact on how an organisation communicates with its stakeholders is huge, and businesses now face the decision of whether applying for a domain is worthwhile. The Guardian sums up the issues in this piece and highlights that ultimately there can only be one owner of each domain string.
Those who remember the early days of the Wild West web will no doubt be worrying about cyber-squatters trying to buy domains out from underneath them. Some advertising bodies have already expressed their concern, with Ad Age Digital offering a useful guide to businesses.
In fact, Rod Beckstrom, ICANN's president, and Jamie Hedlund, ICANN's vice president of government affairs recently held a Q&A session with Ad Week to address some of the concerns, and he has also spoken to Wired about what he calls the biggest change in the domain name system since the launch of dot.com.
One key thing to remember is that applying for one of the new domains is not cheap. The application itself requires US$185,000 and most experts are estimating initial set-ups costs (including application fee) to be approximately half a million dollars. For businesses considering applying for a domain, that price tag alone may give them pause. If a business is not planning on applying for a domain, it can register its brand with ICANN's trademark clearing house, which ensures they will be notified of any applications that may infringe on their trademark or brand.
Slowly does it
The New York Times has also urged ICANN to launch the new domains slowly, testing them before full launch. While any development may carry the risk of greater opportunities for web scammers, ICANN has a rigorous review programme planned for the new applicants. Applications are open until 12 April 2012. ICANN is expected to announce a list of domain applications in late April or early May, and organisations will then be able to object to any applications they feel infringe on their trademarks.
One thing is certain, the web won't look the same – it'll be a very different place come 2013!
[disclosure: Porter Novelli is acting on behalf of Dot Kiwi Ltd and its application for the .kiwi domain.]