Web regulators approve new domain names
Friday 27 June 2008
Web regulators voted yesterday to allow the creation of new domain names in replacement of the standard end URLs like '.com', '.co.uk' and '.org'. New domain names like '.car', '.bank' and .Pepsi' are expected to be in regular use by 2009, whilst adult sites are expected to snap up '.xxx'. Additionally, companies like the online trading site eBay have already expressed an interest in having their own domain name.
The new announcement by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Names (ICANN) has been touted as "one of the biggest shake-ups in Internet history". From 2009 1.3 billion users will be able to purchase an unlimited number of generic addresses featuring common words, brands or company names and cities.
Details on the availability of new domain names are expected to be released within the next three or four months with the release of the domains due for the second quarter of 2009.
In order to limit the possibility of "cybersquatting" for the new domain names the ICANN said that they will be looking into ways of limiting the "abusive registration of new domain names." Certain domain names will also be blocked if they are deemed a security risk or are morally offensive.
Source:
Yahoo News
