ICANN’s at-sizable committee debating recommendation to throttle fresh TLD release

Would throttling release of fresh TLDs benefit the internet?

The At-Sizable Advisory Committee (ALAC), which represents the interests of internet users, is the latest group to consider asking ICANN to do a phased release of its fresh TLD program.

Although there’s still disagreement amongst the group, a third draft of a document titled “Updated ALAC advice on gTLDs” states that there are “deep concern regarding the possible harmful effect on Internet end-users of a single massive expansion of gTLDs;”

Among the possible resolutions:

Phase-in the introduction of fresh gTLDs gradually, releasing no more than 25 every three months and that each such release be comprised of at least 30% community, support-eligible, “geo-region” or IDN TLDs

The draft notes that these numbers “may be considered arbitrary values which are subject to review and consensus.”

If ALAC does finalize this communication, it will be one more group asking ICANN to be careful as it prepares to release hundreds of fresh TLDs.

Although this may make sense, the question of how to batch fresh TLDs is still open to debate and could be just as contentious as the entire fresh gTLD process to date.