Supreme Court rules generic website names can be trademarked

The Supreme Court has ruled that website names are trademarkable even if they consist of a generic term followed by ".com." The ruling means that Booking.com is eligible for a trademark on the generic name that's associated with its domain. Booking.c...

Google springs for .lol, .youtube domains, we wonder if it’s going TLD .crazy

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Google just can't wait until ICANN reveals custom domain name bids in mid-June to say what it's trying to buy -- and it's clear that Mountain View went on a shopping spree. Some of the top-level domains in the land grab are ones you'd expect safeguarding Google's prized possessions, such as .google, .youtube and .docs. Others make us fear for the future of Internet memes. Google claims that it's bidding for TLDs such as .lol to explore their "interesting and creative potential,' but we have a hunch it's just taking the addition of LOL to the dictionary a little too seriously. The company does assuage our fears with a promise to prevent TLD abuse. If we ever see omgwtf.lol become a reality, though, we'll know Google has gone off the .deepend.

Google springs for .lol, .youtube domains, we wonder if it's going TLD .crazy originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 21:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ICANN stops taking custom domain names at 7PM ET, details the TLD explosion June 13th

ICANN to stop taking custom domain names at 7PM ET, detail the TLD explosion June 13th

ICANN anticipated that we'd see the first fruits of its open season on top-level domains (TLDs) roughly a year after the hunt began; sure enough, it's winding down applications tonight. If you have the $185,000 plus $25,000 per year to make a domain your own, you've got until midnight GMT (7PM ET) to get that custom spin on the web. Don't think that you'll get the rubber stamp right away, though. ICANN plans to detail the requests on June 13th and consider any objections over similarity or multiple bids for the same name. If all goes smoothly, the first generic TLDs will be active within nine months, while those who face a fight could be waiting roughly one to two years. We're just hoping someone had the courtesy to pick up .gadget for us -- not that ICANN's worried about a gap in registrations after taking $352 million in fees and over 2,000 applications so far.

ICANN stops taking custom domain names at 7PM ET, details the TLD explosion June 13th originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 12:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink AFP (PhysOrg)  |  sourceICANN  | Email this | Comments