JPNIC Argues Firms Shouldn’t Be Able to Get Corporate Top Level Domain Names

Group states fresh TLDs aren’t meant for single brands that don’t offer second level domains to the public.

One of the understood use cases for fresh top level domain names is a firm creating .brand. Canon has by now expressed its intentions to apply for .canon.

But in comments by Japan Network Information Center, which provides allocation and registration services of IP addresses and AS numbers in Japan, states this clearly isn’t the purpose of fresh TLDs:

The current Fresh gTLD process is based upon a GNSO note to the Board “Introduction of Fresh Generic Top-Level Domains” dated Sept. 11, 2007. The note is obviously a set of policy recommendations for introduction of “TLDs for registry business”, that is, TLDs which are aimed for third-party registrations of second level domain names in the TLD. This fact is clearly seen in Recommendation 1(p.19), Recommendations 16 and 19(p.21), for example, in the note. Therefore, it is obvious that these kinds of proprietary TLDs are out of scope of the current Fresh gTLD process. We strongly urge ICANN to clearly state this fact in the forthcoming final version of the Fresh gTLD RFP for the next round.

Although many will disagree with JPNIC on this issue, I think there hasn’t been enough thought given to the challenges of allowing a firm to own its own TLD. You’d assume Canon would want a contract that has different provisions from the typical registry that wants to offer second level domain names to the public. There’s also the issue of trademarking a top level domain name. And ICANN would surely face a legal battle if it canceled a firm’s registry contract based on some break.