Web domain plan 'not ready for prime time,' lawmakers say

Lawmakers on the House Communications Subcommittee urged the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to re-consider its plan to open up the Internet to hundreds of new domain endings.

"I don't think this is ready for prime time," Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), the subcommittee’s top, said. Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) echoed the same point. Dan Jaffee, vice president of government relations for the Association of National Advertisers, called the plan a "reckless experiment." Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) said ICANN hasn't proven that there is any problem with the current system. Kurt Pritz, a senior vice president at ICANN, said the group will only grant new top-level domains "that meet stringent technical and financial criteria." He said allowing for any new domain that meets the strict criteria will prevent ICANN from having to pick winners and losers. It is unclear whether Congress can do anything to stop the rollout of new domains. ICANN is an independent, international nonprofit.