Netizens can write new .endings
An Internet cafe in Egypt (Jan. 31, 2008) Credit: AFP/GETTY IMAGES
The dominance of dot-com is coming to an end -- not the tech bubble, but the suffix that symbolized an era.
The Internet Corp. for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the nonprofit and nongovernmental organization responsible for managing Internet addresses, has decided to expand the number of domains by allowing websites to customize their extensions. Once in effect, anything is up for grabs, from .newspaper to .joeschmoe.
The move is in the right direction as the Internet becomes ever more crowded. Some 4.5 million domain names were registered just in the first quarter of 2011. According to ICANN, the freedom to create new domains will allow for more consumer choice and lead to greater creativity and innovation.
But there are pitfalls. The creation of new domain names will increase the possibility of cybersquatting and phishing. The new ability to customize domain names brings along the opportunity to lure unsuspecting Web users to seemingly official and harmless websites, such as .donation or .longisland, where they may be asked to submit personal and sensitive information
ICANN is simply reacting to the rapid expansion of the Internet, marking another turning point since its inception 40 years ago. As the dot-com era of Web addresses gives way to a more dynamic one, it is important that Web users adapt as well. hN
