After years of relying on the same, familiar format for domain names, change finally comes to the Internet. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, presented “Reveal Day” on June 13, which unveiled the plans for companies, startups, geographical regions and others that have applied for generic top-level domains. It’s almost akin to land-grab, as businesses and organizations have scrambled to secure domain names that would best suit their short- and long-term needs.
One question presented to the ICANN panel was whether or not some of these domain names would even be useful, considering domains such as “.jobs” and “.travel” are currently in very low demand, with business and consumers both preferring the familiarity of the “.com” or “.net”. Rod Beckstrom, President and CEO of ICANN, said their job was to simply “to offer more choices and foster competition as well as ensure the stability and safety of the domain name system” and that consumers would eventually take advantage of the new names if they met their needs. “It’s just like the app market on smartphones,” Beckstrom added. “Let the users decide.”
Rod Beckstrom: Consumers Will Choose Own Domain Names from on FORA.tv
Beyond offering ways to increase competition and choice, what does the proliferation of new domain names mean for the future of the Internet? Cherine Chabaly, who serves on the ICANN Board of Directors, believes Reveal Day will be remembered as a history-making event in the evolution of technology.
Envisioning the Future of gLTDs in the Marketplace from on FORA.tv
Watch the entire ICANN Reveal Day below.
Rod Beckstrom: Consumers Will Choose Own Domain Names from on FORA.tv
