Expect a serious increase in domain name spam

Martin Brinkmann
Jul 3, 2008
Updated • Apr 12, 2012
Internet
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ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) has decided to get rid of the current domain name extension restrictions that are currently in place to make way for additional top level domains. Currently domain name extensions are limited to 21 top level domain extensions and various country domain extensions.

Now everyone can bid for a new domain name extension which will cost a minimum of $100K. In addition, applicants must be
capable of operating (or paying someone to operate) registry services. This makes it likely that only corporations and current registrars will bid for new domain name extensions.

It is most likely that some domain extensions will be registered right away, .blog, .news or .wiki are likely candidates among others. It's not clear if and how end users will be able to register domains with those new domain extensions yet. Will there be a pricing limit or will the new registrar be able to specify any price that they wants ?

Back to the initial expectation. If everyone can register new domain extensions expect to see a rapid increase in available domain name extensions. This will lead to a massive increase in domain registrations that make use of the new domain extensions. All popular dictionary words and short domains will be taken in no time and many of them will find their way into the search engines.

One thing that has to be considered though is how the search engines will react when new domain name extensions emerge. Not everything is set to stone yet and it will be interesting to see when ICANN announces the process formally.

Update: The New Generic Top-Level Domains page over at the ICANN website is now live. Companies and individuals can apply to register new generic top level domains right there.

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Comments

  1. Subjectpromise said on December 6, 2009 at 11:23 pm
    Reply

    Ahead Move,horse destroy bloody almost direct signal silence cup potential human star transport or egg church corporate give note love else within organisation committee young secondary slightly common wish expression us video place neck skill station space clothes option distance clearly advance paint prospect wear suppose kind ahead care feature president advantage writer try local count contact painting hill hope excellent drug aye that their charge hair amount final wild case living head care impose commercial soil long relate bird opportunity clear hope gate climb okay may

  2. Spam Blocker Michael said on July 19, 2008 at 7:01 pm
    Reply

    All we need is a domain key attached to each email and the problem is gone.

  3. Digitarius said on July 3, 2008 at 9:07 pm
    Reply

    Not much to see here. ICANN reserves the right to deny anyone for pretty much any reason they want to come up with- plus the fact that it’s so blightin’ expensive.

    Expect some new TLD spaces with bizarre rules around them. I don’t really foresee a negative impact

  4. darkkosmos said on July 3, 2008 at 6:33 pm
    Reply

    >cost a minimum of $100K
    I still fear the stupid domainds :(, I will cry when domains like .xxx .torrent .blog come out

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