Friday, Nov 27, 2009    Text size: 

ICANN recently issued a "new gTLD program explanatory memorandum," entitled "Harms Caused by NXDOMAIN Substitution in Top-level and Other Registry-class Domain Names," to address the issue of domain name registries that redirect users to advertiser's or other partner websites when a surfer attempts to visit a mistyped or non-existent URL.

"ICANN strongly discourages the use of DNS redirection, wildcards, synthesized responses and any other form of NXDOMAIN substitution in new and existing gTLDs and ccTLDs and any other level in the DNS tree for registry-class domain names," the memo finds. "If a gTLD, ccTLD or registry-class domain manager intends to offer a service that depends on NXDOMAIN substitution, it should consult with technical experts (e.g., IAB/IETF, SSAC) on the possible effects of such implementation, and submit the proposal for global public scrutiny before implementing such a service, as appropriate."

ICANN's restrictions target registry-class domain name (RCDN) managers, such as those providing registrations for .com and .net TLDs, as well as those seeking to develop new TLDs such as the adult industry-targeted .XXX initiative.

"Normally if someone wants to make use of a domain, they have to register it (and pay a fee for the right to use it)," stated the ICANN memo. "In the case of NXDOMAIN substitution in a RCDN, the registry would be making use (and perhaps profit) from all or a subset of the uninstantiated domains without having registered or paid for them."

The limitations would reportedly not apply to Internet service providers and others that use similar surfer redirects, instead focusing on the growing arena for new registrars in light of ICANN's plans to expand the array of available top-level domains.

"Since ICANN was founded ten years ago as a not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder organization dedicated to coordinating the Internet's addressing system, one of its foundational principles, recognized by the United States and other governments, has been to promote competition in the domain-name marketplace while ensuring Internet security and stability," the ICANN memo states. "The expansion of the generic top-level domains (gTLDs) will allow for more innovation, choice and change to the Internet's addressing system, now represented by 21 gTLDs."