‘Dot-Sucks’ Internet Domain Idea Just Plain Sucks, Sen Rockefeller Say

An Internet domain ending in “.sucks”? That idea blows, says Sen Jay Rockefeller (D-WV). Requests for the “dot-sucks” domain appear to be little more than “a predatory shakedown” -- an attempt to extract money from companies worried their brands would be tarnished, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee wrote in letter to Stephen D. Crocker, chairman of the board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

“I believe any potential this might have to increase choice or competition is overwhelmed by the ways it will be used to unfairly defame individuals, non-profit organizations and businesses,” Sen Rockefeller wrote. ”It is clear that the companies competing to operate this view it primarily as an opportunity to generate income through ‘defensive registrations.’ In my opinion, it is not in the public interest.”

The request to ICANN for the new top level domains were made in 2012 by three competitors: Donuts, Momentous and Top Level Spectrum. An ICANN spokesman said all three requests are still being reviewed. If ICANN approves the requests it will either pick one of the three companies or an auction will take place on which gets the rights to the .sucks suffix.