ICANN Votes To Squash Domain Tasting And Allow New Top Level Domains

So what does today’s vote from ICANN mean to the regular person? Well, if Network Solutions honors its promise, it means the next time you search for an available domain through Network Solutions, they won’t immediately snatch it up and force you to register it through them at an increased fee. In theory, it may also mean that a lot of domains that were held in eternal limbo by domain tasters and front runners may soon be available, although we can’t be sure of this until it actually happens. And on a more idealistic note, that Saturday Night Live commercial—the one where the bank has the domain name www.clownpenis.fart—is now in the realm of the possible. Hooray!

Transcript of the meeting [ICANN] (Thanks to Lucas!)
“.confusion: ICANN opens up Pandora’s Box of new TLDs” [Ars Technica]
“ICANN Paves Way for Hundreds of New Domains “ [Associated Press via New York Times]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.