Energy and Commerce Committee urges delay of domain-name expansion

By Brendan Sasso - 12/21/11 06:50 PM ET

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee urged the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) on Wednesday to delay its plan to open up the Internet to hundreds of new domain endings.

"A wide coalition of interested groups, including top U.S. and multinational companies and large non-profit organizations support the call for delay," the lawmakers wrote.

ICANN, a Calif.-based nonprofit group that manages the Web's naming system, approved a plan in June to allow for new top-level domain names in addition to traditional domain endings such as “.com” or “.org.” Beginning on Jan. 12, organizations can apply for new addresses ending in almost any word or phrase.

But an array of advertisers, businesses and nonprofits are worried the plan could force them to defensively buy up potential domains related to their brand.

Last Friday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned ICANN its plan could create opportunities for scammers to set up fake websites to take advantage of consumers.

"Although we believe expanding [generic top-level domains] is a worthy goal that may lead to increased competition on the Internet, we are very concerned that there is significant uncertainty in this process for businesses, non-profit organizations, and consumers," the lawmakers wrote. "To that end, we urge you to delay the planned January 12, 2012, date for the acceptance of applications for new gTLDs."

The lawmakers said "a short delay will allow interested parties to work with ICANN and offer changes to alleviate many of them, specifically concerns over law enforcement, cost and transparency that were discussed in recent Congressional hearings.”

Lawmakers who signed onto the letter include committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Reps. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), John Shimkus (R-Ill.), Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.) Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Doris Matsui (D-Calif.).

In response to the FTC's concerns, ICANN President Rod Beckstrom said last week the domain proposal was "thoroughly debated for more than six years" and had input from a variety of experts.

He said the group will implement tough protections to ensure the new domains do not infringe on copyrights, and the program will be "implemented in a measured, limited manner."

ICANN is an independent, international nonprofit, and it is unclear whether the U.S. government can do anything to stop the rollout of the new domains.