New domains like using ‘band aids for a broken bones’
A GOLD Coast business lobby group is warning that a new wave of websites on the cards could spark battles for web addresses - potentially harming local business.
The Gold Coast Junior Chamber of Commerce says we could soon start seeing a new wave of websites with just .au at the end, dropping the .com, if plans by the .au Domain Administration (auDA) succeed.
But auDA’s proposal of new .au domains has been met with sharp criticism from the Gold Coast small business community as it could spark battles for web addresses.
GCJCC treasurer Alec Pokarier said the domain registry body has come under fire from small businesses because of significant financial and time costs .au domains would create for them. Mr Pokarier said, if successful, .au domains will impact any business that wants to protect its brand in a competitive industry and force SMEs to fight it out over the new registry.
“It would essentially allow any competitor to take a business’ domain and put it under a .au address, and create competition for .au websites,” he said.
“While having a registered trade mark does offer a greater level of protection for business owners, it would still lead to potentially contested domain names between parties — either through costly court battles, lengthy dispute resolution processes or having to pay absorbent amounts of money to secure .au domains.”
Mr Pokarier said the proposal lacks structure.
“It’s clear auDA faces a number of key challenges in the immediate future but this is a botched and ill-thought-out proposal with a lack of real business engagement.”
He said domain hosts are experiencing challenges, that auDA are responsible for curbing, in an industry where there is a history of mismanagement and a lack of effective solutions. “But instead of providing real policies that can resolve these changes they’re choosing to instead float a new market.”