Neustar has opposed the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ (ICANN) proposal to delay the launch of hundreds of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs).
The organisation filed comments with ICANN stating its evaluation of existing data demonstrates that the inclusion of numerous proposed top-level domains (TLDs) in an ‘uncalculated risk’ category is not necessary as the risks can be calculated and mitigated against.
ICANN has proposed delaying the new TLDs to re-examine the concerns over new names colliding or confusion with queries for existing domain names arising. This was based on a study it commissioned that designated two TLDs as being at ‘high risk’ for collision, while around 1,000 TLDs were placed in the ‘low risk’ category and about 150 as having an ‘uncalculated risk’.
To develop its comments, Neustar analyzed the same data used in the ICANN-commissioned study and added three new important factors that eliminated the need for the ‘uncalculated risk’ segment.
Using its proposed methodology, the company found only three TLDs – .home, .corp and .mail – would have the potential to cause significantly higher collision risk to the domain name system than other proposed TLDs.
This would mean the domain applications currently residing in the ‘uncalculated risk’ category should be moved to ‘low risk’.
Neustar’s report said registry operators, ICANN and the larger internet community can develop focused and tailored approaches to reduce both the likelihood and the consequences arising from domain name collision.
The firm’s deputy general counsel Becky Burr said: “ICANN’s mitigation strategy rests entirely on the possibility of collision, not the consequences. As a result, ICANN’s plan would relegate many demonstrably low-risk TLDs to the nether world of ‘uncalculated risk’ and impose further unwarranted delay in the launch of those TLDs.”
She went on to say ICANN’s approach “goes beyond simple prudence” as it unnecessarily slows the process of implementing the new TLDs and many low-risk domain applicants are currently in a “nightmare of uncertainty”.