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ARTICLE · 12 JULY 2011

.YourBrand? Get Ready For Custom Domain Extensions

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The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) recently voted in favour of accepting applications for new top-level domain (TLD) extensions beginning January 12, 2012.

CanadaIntellectual Property
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The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) recently voted in favour of accepting applications for new top-level domain (TLD) extensions beginning January 12, 2012.  There are currently 22 generic TLD extensions (including .com, .net, and most recently, .xxx), but ICANN's announcement means that TLDs may eventually number in the hundreds as cities, corporations, industry groups and others apply for custom extensions, such as .toronto or .tech.

The expected explosion of TLDs will have important implications for brand owners, not only in terms of providing businesses with new opportunities for branding online, but also in terms of providing cyber squatters with new opportunities to commandeer the trademarks of others as domain names.  Here are the basics as currently envisioned by ICANN...

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