The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has come under intense scrutiny from the tech community following revelations about how organizations can acquire custom top-level domains (TLDs) for substantial fees. The discussion was sparked by the discovery of religious TLDs like .agakhan, .ismaili, and .imamat, which led to broader questions about ICANN's domain allocation policies.
Notable Custom TLDs by Category
- Religious: .agakhan, .ismaili, .imamat, .catholic, .church, .lds, .mormon
- Corporate: .google, .aws, .xbox, .playstation, .canon, .nokia
- Retail: .george (Walmart), .edeka
- Controversial: .sucks, .hiv, .adult
The Current TLD Application Process Creates Monopolies
ICANN's new generic TLD (gTLD) program allows any organization to apply for custom domain extensions by paying an initial application fee of USD $185,000, plus annual fees of USD $25,000. Technical backend services can cost an additional USD $200,000 per year, making the total investment around half a million dollars annually. This system has enabled companies like Walmart to secure .george, Google to own .google, and various religious organizations to control faith-based domains.
The process requires applicants to demonstrate legitimate use and provide detailed operational plans. However, critics argue this creates artificial scarcity and allows wealthy organizations to monopolize common words and concepts that should remain accessible to everyone.
ICANN gTLD Application Costs (USD)
- Initial application fee: $185,000 (non-refundable)
- Annual registry fee: $25,000
- Technical backend services: ~$200,000/year
- Legal consultation fees: ~$100,000
- Total first-year cost: ~$510,000
Community Backlash Against Domain Privatization
The tech community has expressed strong opposition to ICANN's approach, particularly regarding the privatization of generic terms. One critic noted the problematic nature of allowing private entities to control everyday words, citing how the MAN group in Europe owns .man as an example of concerning monopolization.
The fact that private entities can monopolize gTLDs, including words that aren't even made-up or reasonably copy-written was an embarrassing and dishonorable decision by ICANN.
Many community members argue that while brand-specific TLDs like .google might be acceptable, the system should ensure broader access rather than exclusive control. The current model has resulted in over 1,500 TLDs, forcing companies to purchase multiple domains defensively and creating confusion for users.
Technical and Security Concerns Mount
Beyond cost and accessibility issues, the proliferation of custom TLDs has created technical challenges for network administrators and security professionals. The expansion affects internal corporate networks, where common names like mercury might resolve differently across organizations, potentially creating certificate validation problems and security vulnerabilities.
The DNS search path functionality, which allows partial domain name resolution, becomes problematic when ICANN sells TLDs that conflict with internal naming conventions. This forces organizations to implement complex workarounds or risk security breaches.
ICANN gTLD Timeline
- 2012: First new gTLD application round opened
- 2015: Public CAs stopped issuing certificates for non-FQDN domains
- 2025: Over 1,500 TLDs now exist
- 2026: Next gTLD application round planned
Alternative Solutions Proposed
Community members have suggested various reforms to address these concerns. Proposed changes include implementing auction systems where winning bidders get priority registration rights but cannot monopolize entire TLDs, limiting the number of new TLDs created annually, and ensuring that successful applicants make domains available to the general public after claiming initial allocations.
Some have even questioned whether TLDs serve any useful purpose in the modern internet, suggesting a flatter domain structure might be more appropriate. However, such fundamental changes would require massive coordination across the global internet infrastructure.
The debate reflects broader concerns about internet governance and whether critical naming resources should be controlled by private entities or managed as public utilities. As ICANN prepares for another round of gTLD applications in 2026, these discussions are likely to intensify.
Reference: PRAYERS AND DEVOTIONS FOR MONDAY