Web Authorities Stepping Up Against Domain Tasting

Ever wonder why it seems more and more difficult for you to get the domain name you want when registering on a web host? Quite often it’s because the domain name tasting and kiting industry is alive, well and running rampant.

What is domain tasting by the way? it is a practice of registrants using the five-day "grace period" at the beginning of a domain registration to test the marketability of a domain name. During this period, the registrant analyzes the viability of deriving income from advertisements placed on the domain's website. Entrepreneurs have been taking advantage of a five-day grace period to sample domain names, keeping the relative few that might generate advertising revenues and dropping the rest before paying.

This practice became controversial when some registrants started to register hundreds of thousands of domain names using automated programs and software, making it difficult for legitimate businesses and individuals to get a desirable domain name.

AP Internet writer A. Jesdanun reported that the Internet's key oversight agency is taking a preliminary step towards combating domain name tasting. In a draft report issued this week, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers outlined key issues for a committee to study further and craft recommendations. But don't expect any immediate relief. The committee, the Generic Names Supporting Organization, could take months or years to review the matter, after which ICANN's board still would have to vote on any changes.

And how rampant is domain tasting today? In a report by GoDaddy, In February 2007 55.1 million domain names were registered. Of those, 51.5 million were canceled and refunded just before the 5 day grace period expired and only 3.6 million domain names were actually kept.

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