New gTLD program sparks growing protests

With just days left before applications for new top-level domains (TLDs) begin to be accepted under the New gTLD program, protests against the introduction of these top-level domains are growing.

A few days ago, the US Congress debated the New gTLD program for creating new top-level domains. Representatives of the lower house of Congress believe the time is not yet ripe for such changes.

This is partly due to the ongoing disputes between the parties most affected by the launch of the new domains. Among those protesting the new domains are the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and the Coalition for Internet Domain Rules (CRIDO).

ICANN Vice President Kurt Pritz emphasized that the organization has been working toward launching this program for seven years, meaning that the program is a logical step in the development of the modern domain name system.

Among those who have expressed a positive assessment of the New gTLD program are representatives of the Coalition for the Defense of Domain Names (CADNA).

In addition, during the Congress session, a system for protecting domains from fraudsters and reducing the cost of obtaining your own domain under the New gTLD program were also discussed.

In addition, some meeting participants noted that support for new top-level domains should be introduced carefully, if only because users will need to get used to domains like .hotel or .auto.

Experts cite the potential for fraud, consumer rights violations, and cybersquatting as risks that may arise during the introduction of new domains.

ICANN expects to receive approximately 500 to 1,000 applications during its first application period for new gTLDs.

The organization is also prepared to reduce the cost of applying for a new domain from $185,000 to $47,000 for poor countries and public organizations.