ICANN Approves First Non-Latin Top-Level Domains

By Geoff Duncan March 25, 2010

Earlier this year, the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) approved a plan to enable top-level domains using non-Latin writing systems, for the first time making it possible for speakers of those languages to specify Internet addresses entirely within their own script. Now, four countries and two territories have won preliminary approval for their non-Latin top-level domains, which means the ability to use completely non-Latin Internet addresses could be up and running by mid-year.

So far, Hong Kong, Palestine, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Tunisia have completed the fast-track evaluation process. Support for additional top-level domains in Arabic and Cyrillic are expected soon. Although Hong Kong has already been approved in Han (Simplified Traditional), top-level domains in Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese are still being worked out: rules need to be put into place so addresses written in either script resolve to the same Web site. Hong Kong lucked out because it’s written the same way in both script systems.

Prior to ICANN’s plans to enable non-Latin script systems in top-level domains, the last part of Internet domain names—the .com, .net, and .org part—have been limited to the letters A through Z and the numerals zero through nine. The ability to use non-Latin suffixes means Internet users with little to no knowledge of English will be able to enter and read Internet domain addresses in their native script.

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Computing

ICANN approves new top-level domains: Now .anything is possible

ICANN-new-domain-names-TLD

In the most significant change to domain name regulations since the institution of .com, the Board of ICANN, the body that regulates how domain names work, has approved the creation of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) that will allow for a near-infinite variety of new website addresses. The colossal decision not only enables corporations and other organizations to create domains like drink.coke or buy.apple, but they could theoretically create .almost .anything .they .can .think .of.
"ICANN has opened the Internet's addressing system to the limitless possibilities of the human imagination. No one can predict where this historic decision will take us," said Rod Beckstrom, President and chief executive of ICANN in a statement.
"Today's decision will usher in a new Internet age," said Peter Dengate Thrush, chairman of ICANN's Board of Directors told reporters. "We have provided a platform for creativity and inspiration, and for the next big dot-thing."
Despite these claims of grandeur, three massive barriers will hold back the onrush of new domains. First, the price: new custom domain available through the program will cost $185,000 to register. Second, those seeking to acquire one of these new domains must prove legitimacy to their claim of the terms they want to use in their web address. Third, only "established public or private organizations" can apply. And those that do must prove that they have the technological infrastructure to support the domain.
Some domain applications may be discarded for other reasons, said Dengate Thrush. For instance, if the domain could infringe on religious or social sensitivities, like .nazi, then ICANN will not approve the creation of the domain.
Currently, a mere 22 gTLDs exist — things like .com, .org, .net or .gov — as well as about 250 country-level domains, like .uk or .cn. ICANN expects between 300 and 1000 new domains to come into existence as a result of the new program.
Organizations who seek a '.anything' domain may send in applications as soon as January 2012, through April 2012. ICANN anticipates that the first new domains will be approved by the end of 2012.
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VeriSign: Internet has almost 210 million domains

Verisign Top-Level Domain Registrations

The Internet may have run out of IPv4 address space earlier this year, but that doesn't seem to have put any damper on the worldwide market for Internet domains. According to a new Domain Name Industry Brief from VeriSign (PDF) at the end of the first quarter of 2011 the total number of top-level domains registered around the world was over 209.8 million, an increase of 4.5 million (or 2.2 percent) over the fourth quarter alone. Overall, domain registrations grew by 7.9 percent (15.3 million) during the last year.

For the year, the ten largest top-level domains in order were .com, .de, .net, .uk, .org, .info, .nl, .eu, .cn, and .ru. Although there are more than 240 top-level domains in use around the world, some 61 percent of all registrations in the last year were in those top ten domains.

Computing

It’s official: ICANN approves .xxx

After years of debate, ICANN has finally given .xxx the go ahead. It will now be recognized as a top level domain and pornographic sites will retain their own customized URL signifier. According to the Washington Post, the vote was split and the final ruling actually contradicted the board’s Government Advisory Committee, which fought the action.

“We are disappointed that ICANN ignored the clear advice of governments worldwide, including the US. This decision goes against the global public interest, and it will open the door to more Internet blocking by governments and undermine the stability and security of the Internet,” assistant commerce secretary Lawrence Strickling said. Critics have long worried that the domain will cause conservative and censorship-prone nations to block .xxx sites, and purveyors of adult-themed material fear that the specific domain will separate porn from the rest of the Internet, giving it a certain stigma. Porn industry members are outraged, and one even announced during the meetings that the .xxx domain is “a very real threat to free speech and to my particular freedom simply because I want to create art in my own way.”