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Google has applied for .lol gTLD
Kevin Murphy,
May 31, 2012, 17:35:02 (UTC),
Domain Registries
Google is the first company to announce that it has applied for the new top-level domain .lol.
It’s one of several new gTLDs Google has applied for — including .google, .youtube and .docs — according to a blog post from chief internet evangelist Vint Cerf:
we decided to submit applications for new TLDs, which generally fall into four categories:
– Our trademarks, like .google
– Domains related to our core business, like .docs
– Domains that will improve user experience, such as .youtube, which can increase the ease with which YouTube channels and genres can be identified
– Domains we think have interesting and creative potential, such as .lol
Cerf, a former ICANN chairman, also promises “sensible rights protection mechanisms” and said that security will be a “high priority”.
The full list — and number — of Google’s applications does not seem to have been released yet.
UPDATE: According to AdAge, Google has applied for more than 50 gTLDs.
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The first thing that I think of when I see the .lol extension is that Google is trying to get into the comedy niche.
I am sure that they have something planned for it if they get it and I cannot wait to see what that might be.
.youtube .docs both make perfect sense for their business plan and are self explanatory if you ask me.
-Tony