Digital archery
A total of 751 domains have more than one
applicant. Google and Amazon are in competition for numerous strings, including
'.cloud', '.map', '.music', '.play', '.store' and '.app'. The fiercest battles
will undoubtably be associated with the most popular suffixes.
There's huge potential in winning the
rights to strings such as '.art', '.bet', '.blog', '.home', '.hotel', '.shop'
or '.web'. With the '.app' domain alone being fought over by 13 applicants, the
potential for conflict is legion.
A
total of 751 domains have more than one applicant
How will the eventual winner be decided?
One interesting resolution option involves a skill-related scenario called
'digital archery'. Here ICANN first sets a specific date and time. The
participants must then transmit an electronic message over the internet to
ICANN's servers, as close as possible to the specified time. A millisecond too
late could be enough to lose out. Super-fast networks and an ability to operate
in close proximity to ICANN's server building will be crucial.
As you might expect, not everyone is in
favour of this system. Auctions are another way to resolve ownership issues,
but pitching yourself against Google or Amazon might seem a futile activity.
There's plenty of potential for objections, conflicts and lawsuits.
Objections
Integral to the ICANN process is a seven-
month objection period, which commenced on 'Reveal Day'. You may be surprised
to know objections are not limited to other applicants. Anyone with suitable
grounds can submit a formal objection, for example, if they think an
organisation will misrepresent the domain string in question. The ICANN site
contains detailed information on how to file an objection.
Integral
to the ICANN process is a seven- month objection period, which commenced on
'Reveal Day'.
ICANN has allocated around a third of the
$350m so far gathered to handle objection resolutions. It sounds a tidy sum,
but will it be enough? Many of these battles are bound to be lengthy and
expensive. Cash-rich organisations can afford top-class intellectual property
lawyers. With so much at stake, the sums of money thrown at securing certain
strings will be staggering - it's a great time to be a lawyer.
Review time
In July 2012, ICANN will instruct
evaluation panels to conduct domain string and applicant reviews. Initial
evaluations should be completed by the end of the year, when ICANN will
populate its 'Application Results' page with who passed or failed.
Strings will have to be easily distinguishable
from one another and meet certain technical requirements. Broad brush groupings
and geographic names, such as '.wales', will be identified. These panels will
also perform in-depth assessments of an applicant's ability to manage and
administer a piece of the internet. Applicants must be able to demonstrate the
appropriate technical, operational and financial capabilities.
In
July 2012, ICANN will instruct evaluation panels to conduct domain string and
applicant reviews.
With nearly 2,000 applications, ICANN will
split the reviews into batches of around 500. Although the first batch review
started on 8th June, it could take over six months to complete. So if your
application is in the final batch, it will be years before that domain appears
on the internet. How do you get into the first batch? It's an interesting
question. Money? Influence? Who knows, but yet more contentious allegations and
legal battles are the likely result.
The big fish of the internet ocean -
Google, Amazon, Microsoft and their like - will undoubtably receive
preferential treatment. After all, there's very little doubt these
organisations have the necessary technical, operational and financial acumen.
Yet, how ICANN will prioritise between hundreds of other applicants is unclear.
Having your application delayed by a year or two could leave the door wide open
for a competitor.
Under pressure
ICANN is certainly feeling under pressure.
Apart from the previously mentioned technical glitch that left confidential bid
information exposed, it recently mishandled the policing of the '.jobs' domain
by not taking complaints from employment firms seriously. The latest error
involved the 'Reveal Day' web postings, which inadvertently contained highly
personal information related to the applicant's first and second contacts -
including their names and home addresses.
ICANN's
mandate over domain names is due to expire in September 2012, which raises many
questions.
With this record, can they successfully
orchestrate and police 2,000 new domains?
ICANN's mandate over domain names is due to
expire in September 2012, which raises many questions. Will their power be
taken away? If responsibility is moved to another organisation or government
body, will that be better or worse for the internet? Only time will tell.
A different web experience?
Early in 2013 the first batch of new gTLDs
should become live. I forecast plenty of media noise and interest in these
early days. However, it's not going to be a totally smooth transition. Long
before then the press will have a number of juicy domain battle stories to
report.
Web surfers will quickly become accustomed
to these new domains, the 'new' web experience will soon become the norm. In
fact, older-type domains may not only seem a little dated but witness falls in
web traffic.
Exactly how these new domains will be
exploited by their owners is impossible to predict. About the only thing that
can be said with any certainty is there'll be many surprises in store.
ICANN links
ICANN gTLD home: newgtlds.icann.org
ICANN gTLD video: goo.gl/ycel0
ICANN application results: goo.gl/zWpJ8
ICANN batching information: goo.gl/kdQOD
