Governments file 250 objections to generic TLD applications
updated 05:47 pm EST, Sun November 25, 2012
Failed registrations face 20-percent loss of application fee
Objections have been made to a number of generic top-level domain (gTLD) applications. The ICANN Government Advisory Committee, consisting of 50 countries, has posted an initial list of 250 objections where member countries claim there to be an issue with the gTLDs being registered. Rejected applications will receive 80-percent of their $185,000 application fee.
The early warning list contains a number of technology giants whom attempted to register gTLDs, according to the BBC. The list includes Google for .search and .cloud; Amazon for .app, .book, .movie, .game, and .mail; and Symantec for .antivirus.
The objections raised are in some cases questionable, while others are fairly easy to understand why there are issues. France had an issue with a number of registrants for .hotel and .hotels, wishing that whomever eventually owns the gTLDs to only supply domains to those with links to the hotel industry. Australia objected to Amazon's registration of a Japanese word for fashion, among other generic terms, suggesting it to give "a negative impact on competition." Domain suffixes using religious terminology such as .islam and .ram have also been objected to.
The United States has claimed there to be an issue on just three gTLDs: .army, .navy, and .airforce. A fourth complaint from the US mentions a specific applicant going by the name of Radix Registry, where an e-mail from the FBI had been included with each of the company's 31 registration attempts, and that it is not a recommendation by the agency.
Applicants are to respond to the complaints before the GAC makes its decisions in April.
