Senate Panel Tells ICANN to Slow Down Over gTLD Plan

WASHINGTON — ICANN should proceed slowly with a proposal to add new generic top-level domains, the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee said.

“If ICANN is determined to move forward, it should do so slowly and cautiously,” said Sen. Jay Rockefeller. “The potential for fraud, consumer confusion and cybersquatting is massive and argues for a phased-in implementation.”

ICANN will start taking applications Jan. 12 for new top-level domains with such possible brand  extensions as .coke and .costco. Applications will cost $185,000 for each domain.

On Thursday, senators on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee examined the merits and implications of the program and ICANN’s efforts to address concerns raised by the Internet community.

Rockefeller's sentiments over the gTLD rollout were echoed by Sen. Kelly Ayotte.

“You’re not even sure how many TLDs you will have at the end of the day when this opens, increasing the TLDS from 22 to maybe 1,000," Ayotte said. "That will be a huge challenge for law enforcement. We need to make sure we don’t rush into this.”

Various trade groups, such as the Association of National Advertisers, oppose the plan, saying that the creation of hundreds of new generic TLDs will burden businesses, forcing them to buy defensive registrations.

As it turns out, defensive registrations have become a large part of the business model for another TLD roll out — .XXX.

ICANN’s new top-level domain program, the Association of National Advertisers said “diminishes the power of trademarks to serve as strong, accurate and reliable symbols of source and quality in the marketplace.”

But ICANN denies the charges, saying that the gTLD naming policy took more than 10 years and included input from more than 85 countries and various organizations.

In separate news, ICANN has appointed Internet expert Dr. Xiaodong Lee of the Chinese Academy of Sciences as the group's vice president for Asia.

Rod Beckstrom, ICANN president and Chief CEO, called Lee's appointment "an important development for ICANN, for China and for all of Asia." Lee assumes his new position on Monday.

"Dr. Lee's appointment comes at a critical time in ICANN's history," said Beckstrom. Acknowledging nearly half of all internet users are in Asia, Beckstrom said, "This appointment sends a powerful signal that ICANN recognizes the importance of the new gTLD program to China's and Asia's online future."

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

TeamSkeet, MYLF to Launch New Website FamilyStrokes.com

Sister studios TeamSkeet and MYLF are launching a new website, FamilyStrokes.com.

AV Bulletin: Age Verification Hits the Mainstream, Ofcom Sets a Date

Industry stakeholders and free speech advocates have anxiously been awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, which could significantly impact state age verification laws around the country. In the meantime, state legislatures continue to weigh and pass AV bills, AV tech providers continue to tout their services, and legal challenges continue to play out in the courts — with some cases on hold pending the SCOTUS ruling in Paxton.

Segpay Names Kristi Greer VP of Sales

Segpay has promoted long-time employee Kristi Greer to the position of vice president of sales.

BranditScan Names Subgirl Newest Brand Ambassador

BranditScan has named content creator Subgirl its newest brand ambassador.

Arcom Reports Age Verification Enforcement Actions Against 5 Adult Sites

French media regulator Arcom released a statement Tuesday detailing recent actions to enforce age verification rules as set forth under France’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law.

Pineapple Support, Clips4Sale to Host Performers' Partners Support Group

Pineapple Support and Clips4Sale are hosting a free online support group for partners and family members of adult industry professionals.

FSC Mourns the Loss of Board Director Emeritus Mark Kernes

Free Speech Coalition has released a statement regarding the passing of Board Director Emeritus Mark Kernes.

Alexa Creed Launches New Paysite

Creator Alexa Creed has launched a new membership site through MyMember.site.

Choice Talent Management Launches Fan Platform 'ChoiceFilmz'

Choice Talent Management CEO Chris Crisco has launched a new fan platform called ChoiceFilmz.

Dredd to Launch Official Site

Dredd has announced his new website OfficialDreddXXX.com, launching April 20.

Show More