Internet navigation is about to change. The strict rules that had been enforced by net regulator, Icann (Internet corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), are about to be relaxed when it comes to top level domain names such as .uk or .com.
Companies have long wanted to turn brands into web addresses and individuals have wanted to use their names but both have been stopped in the past. These are some of the things that will change in the near future. There is also the possibility that domain names could be written in Asian or Arabic, and Icann have already received requests for web addresses written in Cyrillic – the script used in Eastern European countries. This change has yet to be voted on.
The director of policy at Nominet, the national registry for .uk domain names says that this internet development is a huge step forward, unblocking people from getting online. It is claimed that there are one and a half billion people on line but four and a half billion people who do not understand the Roman script. Opening it up to other languages will change all that.
Although some just think it will make the internet harder to use, I personally cannot see that. Unless you’re talking about the vast numbers of extra people online that will slow speeds, the use of different languages has no need to affect other users. We will still be able to use all the ones that we are used to.
Current restrictions on top-level domains apply to individual countries like ,uk(UK) or .it (Italy) but the new system will allow domain names to be written in any script with any combination of letters. Provided individuals can show a business plan and technical capacity they will even be allowed web addresses in their own name. The lifting of these restrictions will open up millions of new addresses, at the same time as providing a world of information that had not previously been available.
The only drawback is going to be the cost. It is expected that the setting up of a domain name is going to cost six figures, at least to begin with. This expense will need to be met by the applicants but because of the need to protect brand names, there are companies who are concerned about having to protect all their brands, such as pharmaceutical companies and this is going to cost them dearly.
The potential for disputes is huge and this is something that Icann say they have taken into consideration , even going to the lengths of setting up an arbitration service to resolve disputes, but say that if a problem gets too complex, the highest bidder will win the right to the domain name.
It is expected that the first sites under the new system will be online by the end of 2009.
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