CircleID

A recent study sponsored by Gandi.net and undertaken by The Future Laboratory, has attempted to explore how future of the Internet might be affected as a result of mass Top-Level Domain expansion.

According the the report, a survey of 1,000 consumers found that the majority believe the Internet will become full of pointless domain names (65% of those polled), messy and confusing (57%), too complex to navigate (46%) and out of control (41%). Two-thirds of the 100 UK businesses surveyed are still unaware that liberalization is happening, which is a concern, considering the opportunities and potential risks that it presents."

While the concept of a liberalized Top-Level Domains is not yet fully understood by a large portion of Internet users, the report suggests that businesses are "beginning to grasp the marketing potential of .whatevertheylike and consumers who sense appeal in a localized and personalized web." ...imagine yourname.facebook, shoes.nike ...

Related Links:
Liberalisation of the Internet - About the Report & Download Gandi.net
Most firms unaware of Web domain changes Reuters
Research report shows consumers not keen on new TLDs Domain Name Wire
Growing Pains and the Gandi Survey Brad White, ICANN

Related topics: ICANN, Top-Level Domains, Web