New gTLDs - revolution or evolution?
This week, ICANN unveiled a list of 1409 top-level domains that may appear in one or two years. This figure looks very impressive. The very same program of new gTLDs ICANN was called just revolutionary, and the day of its approval was the greatest reform and the biggest event in the history of the Internet.
But what is the future of the Internet? How will the world wide web change when these domains are delegated?
In our opinion, the revolution will not happen, primarily because of the many artificial restrictions that apply to new gTLD applicants. In general, the Internet will remain the same as before. And for radical changes, not 1409, but tens and hundreds of thousands of new gTLDs are needed.
')
Why the revolution will not be:
Big restrictions
Registration of new domains is carried out according to the old model: the owner of the new gTLD is the administrator of the domain zone, which provides services for the registration of second-level domains and tries to make a profit from it. But most of the new zones will not be used to create a large number of second-level domains. Least of all, such a model is needed by firms that need gTLD brands: Canon will not create a second-level domain in the .canon zone for each of its goods. However, all companies will have to pass an examination for compliance with technical and other standards that the domain zone administrator must meet.
Registering geographic domains is also too complicated. There are a lot of people who want to create a website in the domain of their hometown, but they are stopped by the high cost of registration and the need to get permission from the mayor.
Finally, the opportunity to challenge the application, both from the government represented by the GAC, and from the public. Domains that overlap with the interests of government organizations (.pharma, .navy) or morally contentious (.gay) may not see the light. Imagine how slowly the Internet would develop if each application for a domain in the .com zone was considered by a special commission, and it could be protested.
Registration to protect
It is no secret that many companies have applied for a new gTLD only to protect their brands (for example, Johnson & Johnson's application for the .afamilycompany domain.) On these domains, which rich firms acquire "just in case", most likely will be placed only one page. Many complain about the huge number of dead domains occupied by cybersquatters, but now such domains will appear in the root zone.
Zones with private registration
There are companies that have applied for domains of general importance, but are not going to open in them free registration of second-level domains (for example, Amazon.com and its application for the .kids domain). This is the wrong way, both for these companies and for the Internet as a whole.
Few applications from innovation leaders
Although quite a few large companies have applied for their own domain, there are very few among them who are able to create something unique on the Internet, who could attract the entire global community to their gTLD. For example, PayPal, Twitter, Facebook have not submitted applications.
The bottom line is not enough for revolution.
If the revolutionary new gTLDs are to significantly expand the domain space and give companies the opportunity to develop their projects outside the usual .com zone, then 1409 domains are not enough for this. This will increase the number of domain zones by only five times relative to the already existing (including national domains).
Finally, in order to break the shackles of the .com zone, it was necessary to make the registration of new gTLDs as easy as registering a second-level domain in the .com zone. So that the applicant should not have explained to ICANN and the world why he needs this domain and why he has the right to register it. And, of course, the application for the domain should not cost 185,000 dollars.
The new gTLD program in its current form, in our opinion, is not a revolution, but an evolution of the Internet within the framework of the already existing model of the domain name space. Probably, ICANN has developed a compromise path of development, which will have adherents and opponents both among conservatives and supporters of the reformation of the World Wide Web.
But what is the future of the Internet? How will the world wide web change when these domains are delegated?
In our opinion, the revolution will not happen, primarily because of the many artificial restrictions that apply to new gTLD applicants. In general, the Internet will remain the same as before. And for radical changes, not 1409, but tens and hundreds of thousands of new gTLDs are needed.
')
Why the revolution will not be:
Big restrictions
Registration of new domains is carried out according to the old model: the owner of the new gTLD is the administrator of the domain zone, which provides services for the registration of second-level domains and tries to make a profit from it. But most of the new zones will not be used to create a large number of second-level domains. Least of all, such a model is needed by firms that need gTLD brands: Canon will not create a second-level domain in the .canon zone for each of its goods. However, all companies will have to pass an examination for compliance with technical and other standards that the domain zone administrator must meet.
Registering geographic domains is also too complicated. There are a lot of people who want to create a website in the domain of their hometown, but they are stopped by the high cost of registration and the need to get permission from the mayor.
Finally, the opportunity to challenge the application, both from the government represented by the GAC, and from the public. Domains that overlap with the interests of government organizations (.pharma, .navy) or morally contentious (.gay) may not see the light. Imagine how slowly the Internet would develop if each application for a domain in the .com zone was considered by a special commission, and it could be protested.
Registration to protect
It is no secret that many companies have applied for a new gTLD only to protect their brands (for example, Johnson & Johnson's application for the .afamilycompany domain.) On these domains, which rich firms acquire "just in case", most likely will be placed only one page. Many complain about the huge number of dead domains occupied by cybersquatters, but now such domains will appear in the root zone.
Zones with private registration
There are companies that have applied for domains of general importance, but are not going to open in them free registration of second-level domains (for example, Amazon.com and its application for the .kids domain). This is the wrong way, both for these companies and for the Internet as a whole.
Few applications from innovation leaders
Although quite a few large companies have applied for their own domain, there are very few among them who are able to create something unique on the Internet, who could attract the entire global community to their gTLD. For example, PayPal, Twitter, Facebook have not submitted applications.
The bottom line is not enough for revolution.
If the revolutionary new gTLDs are to significantly expand the domain space and give companies the opportunity to develop their projects outside the usual .com zone, then 1409 domains are not enough for this. This will increase the number of domain zones by only five times relative to the already existing (including national domains).
Finally, in order to break the shackles of the .com zone, it was necessary to make the registration of new gTLDs as easy as registering a second-level domain in the .com zone. So that the applicant should not have explained to ICANN and the world why he needs this domain and why he has the right to register it. And, of course, the application for the domain should not cost 185,000 dollars.
The new gTLD program in its current form, in our opinion, is not a revolution, but an evolution of the Internet within the framework of the already existing model of the domain name space. Probably, ICANN has developed a compromise path of development, which will have adherents and opponents both among conservatives and supporters of the reformation of the World Wide Web.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/146292/
All Articles