Custom Domain Suffixes Are Coming: Here’s What You Need to Know

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The guidebook says experts “will consider whether the applied for [domain suffix] is contrary to general principles of international law for morality and public order” and lists the following examples:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women

The International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights

The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families

Slavery Convention

Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

Convention on the Rights of the Child

The guidebook then states, “Note that these are included to serve as examples, rather than an exhaustive list,” and continues with another list of possible restrictions relating to domain suffixes that may contribute to:

Incitement to or promotion of violent lawless action

Incitement to or promotion of discrimination based upon race, color, gender, ethnicity, religion or national origin, or other similar types of discrimination that violate generally accepted legal norms recognized under principles of international law

Incitement to or promotion of child pornography or other sexual abuse of children

A determination that an applied-for gTLD string would be contrary to specific principles of international law as reflected in relevant international instruments of law

So we’ll almost certainly hear of cases where one group tries to register a custom domain suffix that offends another group, but the idea that just anybody will be able to quickly and easily register their own custom domain suffix shouldn’t be at the front of people’s minds.

Again, this process will be far more complicated and involved (and expensive) than the one for registering a standard domain name. That being said, if anyone wants to go in on .pants with me, let’s set something up, eh?

MORE: Veteran Hacker Hired to Keep an Eye on Every Internet Address

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