Icann acts to stop domain name abuses

Domain tasting clampdown by internet oversight body

Internet oversight body Icann today announced proposals for a new system to crack down on the abuse of the domain name registration process known as domain tasting.

Domain tasting occurs when speculators register domains, test their potential for monetisation by placing ads on the sites, and then cancel their contract if necessary before the five day "Add Grace Period" (AGP) expires.

Icann is proposing to scrap the AGP and charge registrars as soon as they apply for a name, to eradicate this practice which last January saw the top ten domain tasters account for 95 per cent of all deleted .com and .net domain names.

"Domain tasting has been an issue for the Internet community and ICANN is offering this proposal as a way to stop tasting," said Icann chief executive Paul Twomey in a statement. "Charging the ICANN fee as soon as a domain name is registered would close the loophole used by tasters to test a domain name’s profitability for free."

But concerns were also expressed that the new system could cause problems for innocent registrants. "They have a massive problem, but you need to ensure flexibility to deal with genuine registration errors – you don't want the costs of [these errors] to be passed on to each customer," argued Eleanor Bradley, director of operations at .uk registry Nominet. "We compromised by allowing a small number [of erroneous registrations] each month per registrar."

The proposals will be voted on at an Icann board meeting in Paris in June.