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Free Expression Comes to Domain Names

Policy would allow custom URLs for businesses, people

By Ambreen Ali,  Newser User

Posted Jun 24, 2008 4:25 PM CDT

(Newser) – Domain names may soon be open for anyone to create, providing companies and individuals with unprecedented freedom to carve out their own corner of the Net, the BBC reports. The Internet's biggest shakeup in decades "will allow groups, communities and business to express their identities online,” sad the head of the independent nonprofit that assigns names.

Under the proposal, anybody who shows a business plan and technical capacity could register a domain name. In cases of disputes, an auction would determine who gets dibs on a name. The plan, which comes up for a vote on Thursday, could also result in ".xxx"—a voluntary choice for sexually explicit sites— being created after years of wrangling.

Currently, strict laws carve the Net up so that certain domain names, like .uk and .tv, only belong to particular regions in the world.
Currently, strict laws carve the Net up so that certain domain names, like .uk and .tv, only belong to particular regions in the world.   (Shutter stock)
Domain names may soon be open for anyone to create, providing companies and individuals with unprecedented real estate to carve out their own corner of the Net.
Domain names may soon be open for anyone to create, providing companies and individuals with unprecedented real estate to carve out their own corner of the Net.   (Shutter stock)
The domain name .xxx may also soon be available, after years of wrangling with authorities who have stifled it.
The domain name .xxx may also soon be available, after years of wrangling with authorities who have stifled it.   (Shutter stock)
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