The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a non-profit organisation based in California, United States to regulate internet domain names, will vote on Thursday for a proposal to allow the open registration of top-level domains (TLDs) for Internet addresses. If the proposal succeeds, then as soon as next year any entity with sufficient funds may be able to apply for ownership of a relevant TLD, so that, for example, web sites could have addresses ending in .paris, .ebay or .love. Some existing owners of TLDs have already set up arrangements that have made use of their flexibility - for example, the countries of Tuvalu and the Federated States of Micronesia have leased many domains on their country code TLDs ( .tv and .fm respectively) to entertainment websites based on the association with "television" and "FM radio". ICANN CEO Paul Twomey, speaking with the BBC , compared the opening of domains to the opening of real estate in the United States in the 19th century. "It's a massive increase in the geography of the real estate of the Internet," he said. The ICANN International Public Meeting, which opened in Paris , France on Monday, includes workshops and public forums as well as the ICANN Board meeting.
The (ICANN), a non-profit organisation based in California, United States to regulate internet domain names, will vote on Thursday for a proposal to allow the open registration of (TLDs) for Internet addresses. If the proposal succeeds, then as soon as next year any entity with sufficient funds may be able to apply for ownership of a relevant TLD, so that, for example, web sites could have addresses ending in .paris, .ebay or .love. Some existing owners of TLDs have already set up arrangements that have made use of their flexibility - for example, the countries of and the have leased many domains on their country code TLDs ( and respectively) to entertainment websites based on the association with "television" and "FM radio". ICANN CEO Paul Twomey, speaking with the , compared the opening of domains to the opening of real estate in the United States in the 19th century. "It's a massive increase in the geography of the real estate of the Internet," he said. The ICANN International Public Meeting, which opened in , France on Monday, includes workshops and public forums as well as the ICANN Board meeting.
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Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
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top-level domains
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Tuvalu and the Federated States of Micronesia
and the
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.tv and .fm
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BBC
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Paris