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ESNIC, the Spanish registry, will launch a Sunrise Period for .ES Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) on October 1. The Sunrise Period will go through October 30, 2007. Applicants must have registered the corresponding English-language .ES domain name prior to June 1, 2007 to qualify for the Sunrise Period. The Land Rush launch date has yet to be announced.
CircleID reports that a new phishing scam is targeting domain name registrars and registrants. The emails attempt to get passwords of domain registrants. Although it's not clear yet what the motives are, phishers may be trying to steal domain names outright for profit, or use the information to hijack the domain registration of financial institutions and surreptitiously redirect the domain names to their own servers. Other comments suggest that phishers could possibly create Web sites under sub domains of existing domain names, or access credit card and address information associated with accounts.
Well-known brands such as Dell Inc., Yahoo Inc. and Marriott International Inc. are among companies that have joined a new coalition lobbying Congress for tougher laws targeting people who seek to profit from their brand names and use them to commit online fraud. The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse has hired law firm Alston and Bird LLP to persuade federal lawmakers of the need to crack down against those who claim Web addresses, or domain names, that include -- or even resemble -- a legitimate company's trademark.
A recent survey by Opinion Research Corporation showed that Internet users are utilizing direct navigation much more than has been previously reported, with 64 percent of respondents stating they bypass search engines and type keywords into their browsers to find Web sites. The study also found that 26 percent of users say they bypass search engines at least once a day. In addition, 38 percent of users surveyed say they bypass search engines weekly or monthly.
The DotAsia Organization announced it is partnering with Pool.com to provide its online auction platform for Sunrise and Landrush; joining Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu as principal worldwide verification agent; and teaming with Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP) for Middle Eastern and North African applicants.