However, Twomey told Agence France-Press that the organization will still try to block or reject any domain name that it deems inappropriate for security or moral reasons.
And just what morality standards will they be using?
Personally, It wouldn't bother me if all porn sites disappeard... but denying a registration based on morailty could get very tricky.
'.wow': ICANN to allow almost any domain suffix
Summary
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers has accepted a proposal allowing companies, cities and others to use almost any suffix they want for a web address.
Topics
At its meeting in Paris, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a not-for-profit organization that oversees the naming scheme for web sites, voted to accept a proposal that will allow companies to purchase new top-level domain names ending in almost whatever suffix they choose.
So, for example, instead of being restricted to sites ending in .com or .org., eBay could have a site that ends in .ebay, or New York City could end its website address with .nyc.
The new naming process will begin in 2009. The first suffixes will probably be given to businesses and other major organizations. Countries are expected to keep their specific suffixes, but, as in the example above, cities could also get individualized URLs, such as .london or .chicago.
In an effort to deter cybersquatters, the organization is likely to charge a hefty price for the new names. Some experts have estimated that the new domain names could cost anywhere from $50,000 (£25,200) to $100,000 or more. ICANN plans to give companies with trademarked names priority for those names.
The group also voted to allow public comment on a proposal that would enable countries to use non-English script. For example, companies could use Chinese or Arabic script to identify their web sites.
Paul Twomey, chief executive of ICANN, told the BBC earlier this week that allowing the new naming conventions would create new "real estate" on the internet.
However, some experts have expressed concerns that the decision could result in a gold-rush mentality. While trademarked names will only be available to holders of those trademarks, there are many common words that people may want to register as web site suffixes, such as '.sex'.
The suffix .xxx was rejected by ICANN last year, but it could also prove to be a popular suffix under the more relaxed policy. However, Twomey told Agence France-Press that the organization will still try to block or reject any domain name that it deems inappropriate for security or moral reasons.
Talkback Most Recent of 29 Talkback(s)
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Badgered27th Jun 2008 -
Agreed
Agreed - since the WWW is WW, who will dictate the morality upon which such decisions will be based? This either needs to be opened fully or remain in its current closed, semi-controlled state.
However, I say let the pornmeisters have there .porn, .adult, .sex, .xxx, and .anythingelse that will get them out of the .com world. This could then free up the .com realm for real .company use (as it should have been all along). It would also make it easier for corporate and parental blocking of those domain structures.
However, because it will make it easier for blocking, I don't expect that any of this matters because they'll remain right where they are and still grab those domains.
Sadly, the only group truly winning from this will be ICANN.
Timpraetor7th Aug 2008 -
RE: '.wow': ICANN to allow almost any domain suffix
I think it would be better to move all adult sites to a TLD like xxx or sex because it might make searching safer for kids. And maybe allow parents to make easier filters blocking those tld's. Maybe I'm too comfortable with the way things are having just a few tlds. But this whole thing seems a little strange do we really need tld for everything? what comes with your purchase do you get all the domains for it or do you still have to register your name through traditional registrars too?
ZenMasta27th Jun 2008 -
how would you do that?
How do you propose to FORCE adult sites into a .XXX? Even if the US came up with that law non US porn sites( over 50% of all porn sites by the way ) would NOT have to abide by it. By the way a .XXX would actually make it EASIER not harder for kids to find porn. even a 4 year old would know that anysite.XXX=naughty stuff.
How about making a .KIDS and making all sites that cater to children use that? That way parents can filter out every but .kids. Seems simpler to me.
How about PARENTS do the parenting? I'm parent by the way I can make sure my child doesn't see porn. I do not need nor do I want the government's assistance in doing my job thank you.
BCF196828th Jun 2008 -
steve@...7th Aug 2008 -
I like that...
However, Twomey told Agence France-Press that the organization will still try to block or reject any domain name that it deems inappropriate for security or moral reasons.
For moral reasons the use of word 'sex' should be outlawed and for security reasons the use of word 'terrorist' should be ban too!
They should be replace with something more polically correct like 'intimate relation' and 'psychological fighter'.
Linux Geek27th Jun 2008 -
OMFG
perhaps its because you use linux, But you are amazing, Do you have a blog? =)
EmenbladE27th Jun 2008 -
Genius!
I can totally see how a terrorist in the middle of a covert operation would use .terrorist to publish a website.
Thanks for saving humanity!
justit1234@...27th Jun 2008 -
Seems that went over both of your heads...(nt)
I said NT...
storm14k27th Jun 2008 -
HypnoToad27th Jun 2008 -
RE: '.wow': ICANN to allow almost any domain suffix
I think I better get my money together to register ".inbed"
If the appendage works so well on fortune cookies -it's bound to be a hit on the internet
james.r.ewen@...27th Jun 2008 -
um, why not just get rid of the suffixes completely?
It would remove all this nonsense of a company today having to go and buy the .com, .org, .biz, etc., just to protect its company name.
However, I suppose you'd have to have a dot of some kind, because otherwise it would mess with intranets.
PB_z27th Jun 2008 -
Organization
It's a means of organizing the names.... akin to a tree structure. We COULD just go by static numeric addresses (akin to the way we use unique phone numbers,) but they're usually harder to remember.:)
jt@...5th Jul 2008 -
wrong place...(nt)
I said NT....why did you look.storm14k27th Jun 2008 -
ZDNET_guest6667th Aug 2008
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