Some companies and entrepreneurs have expressed interest in applying for a suffix and possibly earning millions of dollars a year from people and groups wanting a website that ends in that name.
Others are skeptical, though. They worry that an expansion will mean more addresses available to scammers who use similar-sounding names such as “Amazom’’ rather than “Amazon’’ to trick people into giving passwords and credit card information.
Others worry that new suffixes could create additional platforms for hate groups or lead to addresses ending in obscenities.
The oversight agency for Internet addresses, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, spent years crafting guidelines designed to prevent nefarious activities. Still, critics say the Internet corporation is rushing to expand the naming system without putting enough safeguards in place.
“You don’t want a ship to have holes . . . and ask everybody to come on board,’’ said Dan Jaffe, chief lobbyist at the Association of National Advertisers, which represents 400 companies and 10,000 brand names. “You should close the holes, then run a pilot project to see if the systems you put in place are actually effective.’’
There is also a question of how useful the new names will be, at least among English speakers. Alternatives to “.com’’ introduced over the past decade have had mixed success.
These days, Internet users are more likely to type “new Muppet movie’’ into their browser’s search box than to know the official site is at Disney.go.com/muppets.
The Internet corporation will start taking bids for new suffixes today.
That does not mean people will be able to type in “Caribbean.vacation’’ or “iPad.Apple’’ right away. Initial bidding will stay open until April.
After that, the Internet corporation will accept challenges from those who allege trademark conflicts and for other reasons. Auctions would be held should multiple bidders seek the same suffix. It could take months more for winning bidders to get set up.
The new names won’t appear in general use until at least spring of 2013. Applicants facing challenges may have to wait until 2014.
Names will be restricted to the richest companies and groups, as it will cost $185,000 to apply and at least $25,000 a year to maintain one. A 10-year commitment is required. The fees do not include operational costs, such as computers and staff. By comparison, a personal address with a “.com’’ suffix usually costs less than $10 a year.
