ICANN backs auction of disputed domains (The Register)

[Adam DickerAdam Dicker is verified member.]

Gavel to break ties The body behind the internet's addressing systems has said that it will settle disputes over who wins the right to new generic top level domains (gTLDs) by auction.…

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[Theo]

Can't wait to see the first big auctions that'd trigger lawsuits against ICANN. They have no method in place, they simply invent procedures as they go on, after the infamous "liberation of the TLD's" announcement. But that's the price of greed.

 

[broe-foe]

Can't wait to see the first big auctions that'd trigger lawsuits against ICANN. They have no method in place, they simply invent procedures as they go on, after the infamous "liberation of the TLD's" announcement. But that's the price of greed.

I think you're wrong. They have a method in place: an application process + money-collecting system + lack of transparency.

ICANN's critics since 2000 have been whining because ICANN limited the number of new TLDs to 6 or 7, including .info, .biz, .aero, .coop, .museum, and .pro. Many more applicants were denied for different TLDs. There were applicants for .union, .mobile, .geo, .web, .tel, and on and on and on. The reason ICANN floated for rejection of most applicants was basically that ICANN did not want to jeopardize the "stability" of the Internet by overloading it with unlimited TLDs. ICANN's critics then roared that ICANN was artificially keeping supply low thereby helping the dreaded domainer/cybersquatter/speculator. Intellectual ICANN critics vociferously accused ICANN of playing favorites when awarding new TLDs, crapping on the little guy and keeping .com mega-giant Netsol and/or Verisign rich by keeping the value of .com artifically high by not allowing lots of new TLDs.

 

[Theo]

I smell .mobi critters

I think you're wrong. They have a method in place: an application process + money-collecting system + lack of transparency

"Lack of transparency" is exactly what will be the beginning of the end of this lucrative venture. When the .city TLD gets auctioned, it will take just one of the 4,403 holders of a registered trademark that contains "city" to file a lawsuit against ICANN for dilution of their mark.

Why would a holder of a mark compete against Joe Domainer just because ICANN gave them a $150,000 pass? ICANN is ran by greedy fools that will run for the hills once the first few lawsuits gain mass media attention.

 

[carlton]

... rejection of most applicants was basically that ICANN did not want to jeopardize the "stability" of the Internet by overloading it with unlimited TLDs.

If that was indeed their motivation at that time, I wonder what happened to it. The "stability" of the internet will only be degraded by the proposed new tld's. It's evident the money game became far too tempting for ICANN.

From the article:

... ICANN announced earlier this summer that it would no longer limit the number of gTLDs to 21, and that almost any word or phrase could be registered as a domain. The move has been condemned as a "nightmare" for brand owners ...

Can't imagine that a rational thinker would disagree with the above statement. "Amost any word or phrase could be registered as a domain." has serious implications that ICANN either don't fathom or just don't get = deja vu.