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Why So Many .do Domains Lack Functioning Websites: Exploring Strategic Uses of the Dominican Republic’s ccTLD

An analysis of 41,140 Dominican Republic .do domains reveals widespread website inactivity and distinctive naming patterns, raising questions about domain speculation, brand protection and the international appeal of the country's Internet namespace.

From Apps to Agents: How the 2026 New gTLD Strings Mirror a Changed Internet

ICANN's 2026 new gTLD applications reveal a shift toward AI agents, developer infrastructure and digital trust, with .agent replacing .app as the most contested string amid growing competition and persistent geographic disparities.

Big Brands, Bold Moves: The 2026 dotBrand Wave

ICANN's 2026 new gTLD round attracted 333 dotBrand applications, representing 20.6% of submissions. Participation across major industries reflects growing interest in controlling branded namespaces and strengthening enterprise digital identity.

The Namespace You Plan - and the One That Takes Shape

Structural analysis of four established gTLD namespaces suggests registration totals alone offer an incomplete picture. Tracking composition alongside operational data could help new registry operators investigate whether their namespaces are developing as intended.

How CZDS Zone Data Helps Detect Domain Abuse

Daily CZDS zone data can help brand owners and investigators detect suspicious domain registrations earlier, trace related infrastructure, monitor expired names, and shift enforcement from reactive disputes toward faster, evidence-based intervention.

Two Years After His Arrest, Pavel Durov Wants to Run His Own Registry

Telegram says it has applied for .gram, potentially giving a billion users DNS addresses while putting its governance, abuse controls, legal exposure and infrastructure under scrutiny as ICANN prepares to reveal applications.

auDA Moves to Tighten .com.au and .net.au Eligibility: What the Coming Changes Mean for Registrants

auDA has approved in principle tighter .com.au and .net.au eligibility rules that would limit registrations to domains matching a registrant's business name or Australian trademark, with implementation details and timing still pending.

15th Registration Operations Workshop, September 29, 2026, 13:00 - 17:00 UTC

The 15th Registration Operations Workshop convenes domain name and DNS professionals September 29 for technical sessions on mTLS, RPKI, DNS resilience, delegations, DNSSEC, registrar concentration, dispute proceedings and alternative naming systems.

Thirty-Five Years Later, Moscow Comes Looking for the Soviet Union’s Domain

Russia is imposing state identity verification on .su, the Soviet Union's surviving domain, as researchers uncover criminal infrastructure across the namespace and ICANN pursues a retirement process that could eventually remove it from the global root.

The Last gTLD Round Taught Us the Wrong Lessons

Fourteen years after ICANN's last gTLD expansion, registration figures offer an incomplete verdict. The next round will test whether applicants can build namespaces with enduring relevance, rather than merely generating impressive launch volumes and revenues.

Beyond Protocol and Policy: Why Project Jake is Reshaping the Architecture of Internet Trust

Project Jake aims to bridge the divide between internet protocols and policy, offering registries, law enforcement and rights holders a decentralised framework for accessing domain-registration data securely while navigating privacy laws and institutional gridlock.

DNS Abuse and Criminal Infrastructure: Beyond Definitions and Blocklists

Research suggests criminals may control a striking share of newly registered gTLD domains, raising questions about whether ICANN's definitions, contractual safeguards and enforcement mechanisms are keeping pace with the industrial scale of technology-facilitated harm.

DNSSEC Doesn’t Need a Better Story - It Needs a Better Tuesday

DNSSEC adoption is stronger than headline figures suggest, yet uneven across industries. New data indicate the bigger obstacle is not reputation but operational friction, especially key rollovers, registrar coordination and automation still missing across major domains.

The Dual-Front Challenge: Why Route Security (RPKI) is the Prerequisite for Quantum Readiness (PQC)

Internet security risks advancing unevenly: post-quantum cryptography may protect data while vulnerable routing still enables hijacks. Universal RPKI adoption, paired with cryptographic agility, is essential to build an Internet trust architecture ready for quantum threats.

Now That You’ve Applied for a New gTLD, Should You Reveal?

With applications closed, new gTLD hopefuls face a changed calculation: revealing strings early could expose contention while information remains financially valuable, helping applicants make better decisions before fees are paid and withdrawal becomes increasingly costly.

News Briefs

ICANN Opens Consultation on Security Requirements for DNSSEC DS Automation

Trump Organization Seeks .trump Top-Level Domain in ICANN’s 2026 Application Round

OpenAI, Meta and Registry Operators Seek New gTLDs as .agent Draws 13 Applications

ICANN Expands Second-Level IDN Rules With Javanese and Canadian Aboriginal Scripts

.si Registrations Surge After US Shift to ‘Super Intelligence’

ICANN Commenters Urge Limits on Proposed Domain Abuse Checks

ICANN Comment Period Closes on Linking gTLDs With Alternative Naming Systems

ICANN’s New Data Sharpens the Picture of DNS-abuse Enforcement

ICANN to Shut Down Open Data Platform and API September 1

After the Close: What the 2026 gTLD Round Has Already Revealed

ICANN’s New gTLD Application Window Set to Close, Capping a Landmark Expansion Round

CENTR Warns Against Excessive Burdens in EU Cybersecurity Overhaul

DNS Censorship Report Warns of Rising Domain Suspensions

ICANN Opens New gTLD Applications for First Time Since 2012, With $227K Entry Fee and 27 Scripts

14th Registration Operations Workshop Set for September 30, 2025

The Edgemoor Research Institute and TWNIC Launch Project Jake to Advance DNS Security and Data Transparency

ICANN Warns of Governance Crisis at AFRINIC Amid Allegations and Legal Challenges

ICANN Warns of Possible Sanctions Over AFRINIC Election Irregularities

ICANN Demands Fairness in AFRINIC Board Elections Amid Governance Concerns

ccTLD Registries Push Back Against EU’s Disinformation Crackdown

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Taking Back the DNS

When Registrars Look the Other Way, Drug-Dealers Get Paid

Ask Vint Cerf: The Road Ahead for Top-Level Domains

Who Is Blocking WHOIS? Part 2

ICANN Complaint System Easily Gamed

Industry Updates

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