The internet organization ICANN has decided that brand extensions may now also be used. This may include the extension for companies such as Apple, with the extension .apple. Also cities may apply for a Top Level Domain (TLD). Paris and Berlin already showed their interest in 2008. Currently there are 250 extensions that refer to names of countries such as. com and 22 that refer to the type of organization such as. org or. Info.

ICANN has decided that the first application round should last from January 2012 until April 2012. Applicants must pay $ 185,000, and the process can last 9 to 20 months. Companies must also hand over a trademark registration if they want to use their trademark as an extension. ICANN wants to partially outsource the registration process to external consultants. Other further (strict) rules for the application are not clear yet.

Theo Hnrakis, the internet entrepreneur who delivers internet services to large companies (and famous trademarks), reports that this is the biggest change for domain names since the creation of the extension. com 26 years ago. In his opinion well known trademarks will lead the clients directly towards himself due to the extension. It might also change the way people use Google. Critics are concerned that counterfeiters can benefit from the program and violate trademarks. Trademark owners were already occupied with the forced registration of domain names to avoid fraud and breach of the trademarks.

Large organizations such as music or film companies could take advantage of using their trademark as an extension. This could bring more clarity for consumers. In that case, consumers might quickly notice whether or not  (because of the extension) the source is reliable. Then the problem of not knowing whether the works come from illegal or legitimate source could possibly reduce.  In the past Future of Copyright spoke with the director of SIDN (similar to the ICANN), Roelof Meijer about the .movie extension. Read the interview here. 

Reference: Guardian.co.uk