Diverting Traffic On The Web: Trademarks And The First Amendment

What's at the heart of cybersquatting may also be at the heart of free speech on the Internet: the diversion of Internet users looking for plaintiff's web site to defendant's web site. Cybersquatters register domain names to accomplish this, while meta-infringers (as we will call them) use HTML code and search engine optimization techniques. Meta-infringers do this by creating keyword density by using competitor's trademarks and permutations thereof in their website in order to rank higher in the search engine results when someone searches on the competitor's trademarks. more

Life After Afternic: Exclusive Interview With Roger Collins

In a recent interviewed with Roger Collins, president of ProProject and the new owner of Afternic.com, CircleID investigates the logics behind ProProject's strong belief in the domain name secondary market. Once known as a primary domain name auction site, Register.com had purchased Afteric.com in the September of 2000 for $48 million in cash and stock -- 2 years later the site was shut down as money-losing unit until ProProject came along. more

RealNames’ Termination: More Catastrophic than Anticipated!

Microsoft is a special company. By definition, its operating systems and Internet browser are no longer just "applications;" they constitute a platform. They are - for 90 percent of Internet users - the sole interface to all Internet content and services. The browser is its own little monopoly. Such is its dominance that Microsoft has the power of life and death over innovation. more

National Academy of Science and the Domain Name System Controversy

The National Academy of Science (NAS) has been brought into the controversy over the future development of the Internet and its domain name system, a controversy recently fueled by the creation of ICANN. The US Congress under Public Law 105-305 mandated that the NAS undertake a study of the domain name system, which is to include options for its development, and the potential impact of the various alternatives. The $800,000 expenses for the study are to be funded by the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Commerce. more

Do We Need The New Top-level Domains?

After a long and exhaustive process it was finally decided by ICANN to introduce seven new top level domains in December. Well, they are not really introduced yet because the United States Government has the final word and they have not approved of them yet. Did you understand what I just wrote - the United States Government decides what names you can have on the Internet? more

Why the IGF Now Sits at the Fault Line

The UN's move to grant permanence to the Internet Governance Forum reframes legitimacy in digital policy. As states accelerate action, multistakeholder processes risk becoming ceremonial, with speed replacing consent as the arbiter of influence. more

Seven Stages of the Internet

The Internet is evolving far beyond screens and smartphones. A proposed seven-stage framework anticipates a future shaped by autonomous agents, sensory wearables, global connectivity, and quantum networks redefining how humans interact with the digital world. more

WSIS+20: A Small Light of Hope in a Darkening Political Landscape

Despite deep geopolitical divides, the WSIS+20 outcome document was adopted by consensus, preserving a multistakeholder vision for the digital future while deferring controversial issues to a time more conducive to progress. more

The Domain Industry in 2025: Infrastructure Consolidation, Regulatory Milestones, and the AI Pivot

The domain industry in 2025 saw rapid consolidation, rising regulatory pressure, and a strategic pivot toward AI, trust infrastructure, and tokenization, reshaping domains from static web addresses into dynamic assets for digital identity and commerce. more

ICANN Announces Deadline for 2026 New Top-Level Domain Applications

ICANN will open applications for new top-level domains in April 2026, offering brands a rare chance to secure custom domain names to enhance trust, marketing flexibility, and long-term online security. more

The Pulse of the Domain Industry: Sentiment Trends From the 2025 Survey

The 2025 domain sentiment survey reveals cautious optimism amid rising AI demand, new regulations, and a resurgent market. With security gaps and DNS shifts in focus, the industry's next chapter hinges on strategic adaptation. more

When Neutrality Isn’t Neutral: ICANN, Smart Africa, the “BluePrint” and “CAIGA”

ICANN's role in Smart Africa's governance blueprint highlights a widening divide between legality and legitimacy. Funding and participation occurred without early community consultation, raising concerns about procedural integrity, RIR independence, and the precedent such interventions may set for global Internet governance. more

Looking Ahead: ICANN’s Upcoming Policy on DNS Abuse Mitigation

ICANN is finalising a policy to curb DNS abuse, aiming to preserve internet stability while defending freedom of expression. With regulatory pressure mounting, the multistakeholder model faces a critical test. more

The Critical Role of the RIR Governance Document for the Internet Numbering System

A revised governance document for Regional Internet Registries aims to replace outdated policy, enhancing transparency, continuity, and oversight in managing IP resources while preparing for future disruptions across the global Internet infrastructure. more

Governing the Invisible: AI Risks in Telecom Infrastructure Outpace Global Legal Frameworks

As AI systems take on critical roles in telecommunications, global regulatory frameworks remain outdated and fragmented, leaving essential infrastructure vulnerable to novel risks that current laws on cybersecurity and data protection fail to address. more