September Deadline: Can The ICANN Model Be Revised?

On September 30, 2002, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the US Department of Commerce (DOC) and the corporation created to privatize the infrastructure of the Internet will expire. This corporation, known as ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) has had a very contentious existence from its earliest days. On July 10, 2002, a US Department of Commerce official, Nancy Victory, sent a letter to ICANN. She wrote that the agreement between ICANN and the DOC "will expire on September 30, 2002 and in the coming weeks, the Department of Commerce will assess whether to renew, extend, or modify this agreement. To assist in this review process," Victory asked, "I request that you provide me with a report detailing ICANN's efforts in these areas, as well as any other information that might inform the Department in its decision-making with respect to this agreement." Victory said that the response to her letter should be sent no later than August 15, 2002. more

Have You Monitored Your DNS Performance Lately?

Domain Name System (DNS) surveys such as that recently conducted by Men & Mice continually demonstrate that the DNS is riddled with errors. Since the DNS continues to work, this raises three questions:

1. Does it matter that the DNS is riddled with errors?
2. Why is it riddled with errors?
3. How can it be fixed? more

ICANN, President Roosevelt And The Thralldom of Names

Former President Theodore Roosevelt is not one whose remarks are usually associated with the domain name industry, but his commentary in 1913 could just as easily have been written today:

"The mob leaders usually state that all that they are doing is necessary in order to advance the cause of 'liberty', while the dictator and the oligarchy are usually defended upon the ground that the course they follow is absolutely necessary so as to secure 'order'. Many excellent people are taken in by the use of the word 'liberty' at the one time, and the use of the word 'order' at the other, and ignore the simple fact that despotism is despotism, tyranny tyranny, oppression oppression, whether committed by one individual or by many individuals, by a state or by a private corporation." more

Old Habits Die Hard!

The new domains are coming! ?Dot-biz is going to be the next coming of dot-com?, I recently read in an article in the Denver Post. The buzz has begun. Seven new top-level domains have been approved by ICANN, the organization that governs domains, and could be available as early as spring of this year. The new domains approved are .biz, .info, .aero, .coop, .musuem, .pro, and .name. more

The 2026 New gTLD Round: A Strategic Framework for Risk Management

The 2026 new gTLD round is less a domain application than a high-stakes contest for digital territory. Contention, objections, opaque evaluations and information gaps can derail applicants long before launch, demanding rigorous strategic preparation. more

The Internet, Beyond a Right: A Critical Infrastructure

As governments, economies and essential services become ever more dependent on connectivity, the internet can no longer be viewed solely as a right. It must be treated as critical infrastructure, protected, regulated and made resilient against disruption. more

Why Your Web Host’s Country Matters Much More Than You Think

A website's server location is only part of the privacy equation. The host's legal jurisdiction can determine whether foreign authorities gain access to data, exposing gaps between GDPR compliance, data sovereignty and real-world protection. more

The Internet After Advertising: Why AI Is Forcing a New Content Economy

As AI increasingly answers questions directly, the web's advertising-driven bargain is breaking down. Content, not distribution, is becoming scarce, forcing publishers, platforms and infrastructure providers to rethink how information is funded, licensed and sustained. more

Post-Quantum Cryptography - the Time to Act Is Now

As quantum computing advances, the race to secure the internet is becoming urgent. Experts at EuroDIG 2026 warned that only coordinated, multistakeholder action can accelerate post-quantum cryptography deployment before existing encryption becomes dangerously obsolete. more

Community Networks: Africa’s Missing Layer of Digital Sovereignty

Community networks could become a crucial pillar of Africa's digital sovereignty, extending connectivity while giving underserved communities greater ownership, resilience, technical capacity, and influence over the infrastructure and services that increasingly shape economic opportunity. more

DOTZON Study: Digital City Brands 2026

DOTZON's Digital City Brands 2026 study crowns .tokyo as the first Asian cityTLD to top the rankings, ending .berlin's four-year reign, while highlighting the growing role of city domains in digital identity, commerce and development. more

Cybercriminals are Driving Significant Domain Name Market Demand

Cybercriminals are becoming a major force in the domain-name market, driving an estimated one-fifth of new gTLD registrations in 2025 and exposing how commercial incentives, weak enforcement, and scale continue to fuel online abuse. more

Online Unregulated Peptide Sales Should Be Banned

Canada's online pharmacy industry is urging a ban on unregulated peptide sales, warning that products marketed for weight loss, bodybuilding and other uses pose serious health risks, evade regulatory oversight, and are increasingly sold online without prescriptions. more

Africa’s Data Sovereignty Is Not About Where Data Lives: It Is About Who Controls It

Africa's data sovereignty debate focuses too heavily on where information is stored. Real sovereignty depends on control of cloud platforms, encryption, identity systems, and critical digital infrastructure that determine resilience, autonomy, and strategic power. more

Online Safety and AI

As AI reshapes the digital world, online safety depends on balancing smarter protection with growing risks. From cybersecurity to privacy concerns, understanding AI's role can help users stay secure, informed, and resilient online. more