ICANN discloses 263 fresh TLD objections on final list

263 total objections filed against fresh top level domain applications.

As per the requirements of the applicant guidebook, ICANN has published a list of all fresh top level domain objections accepted for consideration.

Below is a summary. You can learn more regarding how these objections will proceed here.

String Confusion

67 objections based on string confusion were filed.

The top objector was Commercial Connect LLC, which has applied for .shop. It has objected to 9 IDNs as well as .shop, .shopping, .shopyourway, .store, and .supply. You can understand more regarding where it’s coming from in this letter (pdf).

Verisign filed the second most objections with 16.

Legal Rights

69 legal rights objections were filed with WIPO.

In many cases one competing applicant filed objections against all competitors. For example, Starbucks (HK) Limited (not related to the coffee chain) opposed all .now applications. The firm owns now.com as well.

In others a non-party objected, such as the United States Postal Service objecting to .mail.

Limited Public Interest

This category was the smallest, with just 23 objections.

Financial firms made up the bulk of objectors, with TIAA-CREF, Prudential, TD Ameritrade, and Charles Schwab ganging up on Fidelity by opposing names such as .mutualfunds and .retirement.

Community Objections

Most objections fell into this category, with 104 objections in total.

As with legal rights objections, many were filed by competitors against all competing applications.