[Your brand].wine, [Your brand].beer, [Your brand].sucks: ICANN Applications for Generic Top Level D

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (“ICANN”) manages the internet’s domain name system. Before 1998 the following generic top level domains (“gTLDs”) were in existence: .com, .edu, .gov, .int, .mil, .net, .org, and .arpa. In 2000, seven additional gTLDs were added: .aero, .biz, .coop, .info, .museum, .name, and .pro. Then in 2004, eight additional gTLDs were added. They were: .asia, .cat, .jobs, .mobi, .post, .tel, .xxx, and .travel. In 2008, ICANN began a move to open up the recognized gTLDs to a much wider scope by allowing applicants to apply for any gTLD they wanted. However, the process was expensive and complicated, which curbed participation.

The first round of applications was announced today. ICANN received 1,930 applications from 60 countries and territories. Of the applications received, 911 are from North America, 675 are from Europe, 303 are from Asia-Pacific, 24 are from Latin American and the Caribbean, and 17 are from Africa. There are a few applications relevant to the alcoholic beverage business (.beer, .vodka, .wine, and .restaurant). Only one entity applied for .beer and .vodka, while three separate entities applied for .wine and four entities applied for .restaurant. There are also a few applications relevant to any business, such as .sucks and .best. The applications are subject to a 60-day comment period during which anyone in the world can submit comments or file formal objections to the applied for registrations. Additionally, ICANN will review all applications to determine whether or not they should be registered. The full list of applied for gTLDs is available here: http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/application-results/strings-1200utc-13jun12-en. If you have questions about your brand and the new gTLDs feel free to contact any of the attorneys at Strike Kerr & Johns.

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This entry was posted on June 13, 2012.