ICANN moves to ease gTLD cybersquatting concerns

The new generic top level domain name (gTLD) regime will not open the door for more cybersquatting, it has been claimed.

Defending the new domain name system, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) said numerous safeguards are being put in place.

The United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and 26 other bodies wrote to ICANN last month raising concerns about the potential for cybersquatting activity once customized domain name suffixes are introduced.

But ICANN president Rod Beckstrom told Reuters that the organisation was “very sensitive to these concerns”.

He explained that anyone applying for domains using trademarks or names belonging to others may have their applications reviewed by a panel of intellectual property experts.

Mr. Beckstrom said this should allay fears about the malicious use of typos and domain names which closely resemble website addresses to divert traffic.