Category: Domain Controversies

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) occupies a pivotal position in the architecture of the internet, managing the Domain Name System (DNS) that ensures users can navigate the web using human-readable addresses. Established in 1998, ICANN was envisioned as a neutral, nonprofit steward of internet infrastructure, guided by a multistakeholder model that…

The Domain Name System (DNS) is one of the foundational elements of the global internet, serving as a distributed directory that translates human-readable domain names into numerical IP addresses. Its seamless functionality depends on a high level of global coordination, standardization, and technical neutrality. The DNS is managed through a hierarchical structure under the stewardship…

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has, since its inception, been tasked with the stewardship of one of the internet’s most fundamental components: the Domain Name System (DNS). Among its most controversial responsibilities is the approval and delegation of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), which extend the landscape of digital identifiers beyond…

The Domain Name System (DNS) was built on the Latin alphabet, numerals, and a limited set of hyphen characters that formed the foundation of traditional ASCII-based domain names. However, as the internet expanded globally, there was increasing pressure to accommodate non-Latin scripts such as Cyrillic, Arabic, Chinese, Devanagari, and many others. This led to the…

The ever-expanding landscape of domain names has made mechanisms for resolving disputes over their rightful ownership increasingly critical. Central to this domain name governance infrastructure are two major systems established under the authority of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN): the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) and the Uniform Rapid Suspension System…

As gatekeepers of domain name ownership, registrars play a crucial role in the security and stability of the internet. These entities are entrusted with sensitive customer data, including domain ownership records, payment information, account credentials, and DNS settings that underpin the operational integrity of websites. A compromise at the registrar level does not just expose…

GoDaddy, the world’s largest domain registrar, has long been a dominant force in the aftermarket for expiring domain names. Through its Auctions platform, domain investors and casual buyers alike have been able to acquire expiring domains via bidding, Buy Now listings, and a mechanism called Closeouts—an end-of-cycle opportunity to register names that received no bids…

In the world of domain name investing, few processes are as competitive and technologically intense as drop catching—the act of registering a domain name the moment it becomes available after expiration. As the pool of high-value, unregistered domain names has steadily shrunk, expiring domains have become a goldmine for investors and entrepreneurs alike. The stakes…

The domain name industry operates under a unique regulatory framework governed primarily by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which delegates authority to a network of accredited registrars. These registrars serve as the intermediaries between end users and the domain name registries that manage top-level domains (TLDs). In theory, ICANN accreditation is…

In recent years, the domain name investment market has seen a curious intersection of tech speculation, digital branding, and celebrity culture. High-profile figures—from musicians and athletes to social media influencers and venture capitalists—have begun to dip their toes into the world of domain investing. Some have publicly announced acquisitions of premium domain names, launched web3…