ICANN is an organisation that manages the Domain Name System (DNS), one of two crucial namespaces, that makes the Internet run in a smooth and orderly fashion. The highest level within the Domain Name System is the root zone, and it is within the authoritative database of the root zone that ICANN adds new generic top-level domains (gTLD). The first generic top-level domains included: org, com and net. From 2013, ICANN began to implement their new gTLD program, with the aim of: "The move is an effort to create a more inclusive Internet" (Christine Willett, Icann). In 2013, the BBC reported that ICANN received 2,000 new name requests, and implemented the following new names (alongside others) in 2013: guru, today, tips, ninja, camp and codes. The gTLD's added in 2016, 2017, and 2018 are as follows:
2018
CHARITY, LLC and
SPORT
2017
MERCKMSD, SEARCH,
PHD, MAP, GROCERY, ETISALAT, ARAB, RUGBY, HOTELS and AFRICA
2016
FUN, PHONE, MOBILE,
DATA, HOSPITAL, HAIR, CATHOLIC, BOSTON, RMIT, RELIANCE, JIO, RIL, MOTO, CRUISE,
BOX, FOOD, FREE, AOL, NEWHOLLAND, BASEBALL, CASEIH, CASE, IVECO, VOLVO, BASKETBALL,
RADIO, DVR, OBSERVER, WOW, ROGERS, FIDO, MONSTER, ECO, VANGUARD, DIY, SAMSCLUB,
WALMART, NAB, GEORGE, UBANK, AUSPOST, AIGO, HDFC, HBO, ASDA, HOT, PAY, HUGHES,
DISH, CAPITALONE, SLING, SECURE, AMEX, OPEN, AMERICANEXPRESS, LOFT, LANCIA,
DODGE, CBS, GAP, QVC, MASERATI, OLDNAVY, BANANAREPUBLIC, SHOWTIME, BLOCKBUSTER,
CALVINKLEIN, FIDELITY, TARGET, ABARTH, ATHLETA, LATINO, NBA, FIAT, MOPAR,
JUNIPER, FERRARI, ALFAROMEO, BOFA, LILLY, MCKINSEY, AFAMILYCOMPANY, LADBROKES,
UCONNECT, ABC, HYATT, INTEL, GLADE, PRU, JEEP, SRT, VISA, BANAMEX, PRUDENTIAL,
PRAMERICA, CHRYSLER, DISCOVER, CITI, AMERICANFAMILY, HONEYWELL, DUNS, MSD,
BOOKING, AMFAM, ESURANCE, CITADEL, DUCK, RAID, SWIFTCOVER, SCJOHNSON, IEEE,
OFF, DOCTOR, RIGHTATHOME, TIAA, LPL, LPLFINANCIAL, BESTBUY, BBT, PANASONIC,
BEAUTY, LUNDBECK, TJX, SMART, FUJIXEROX, HOMESENSE, STAPLES, MARSHALLS, LANCOME,
TKMAXX, HOMEGOODS, PFIZER, VIVO, WINNERS, ONYOURSIDE, TJMAXX, NATIONWIDE,
GOODHANDS, ALLSTATE, LEFRAK, MACYS, MINT, INTUIT, SES, NIKE, XFINITY, MITSUBISHI,
COMCAST, GODADDY, FUJITSU, MIT, SHANGRILA, ZIPPO, CBRE, IKANO, PNC, FARMERS,
FEDEX, POLITIE, ART, NFL, WOODSIDE, TRAVELCHANNEL, HGTV, FRONTDOOR, FOODNETWORK,
COOKINGCHANNEL, ORIENTEXPRESS, ANZ, ITV, BLANCO, SHOPPING, ABLE, CAM, LEGO,
ALSTOM, DUNLOP, AIRBUS, GOODYEAR, KOSHER, DUPONT, ERICSSON, SAVE, PRIME, DEAL,
EPOST, NOW, CHINTAI, FIRE, KINDLE, SILK, IMDB, AUDIBLE, TDK, DHL, HISAMITSU,
GAMES, PIONEER, ZAPPOS, UPS, MATTEL, NETFLIX, OTT, LOCKER, DTV, OLLO, MLB,
REALESTATE, SHOP, AETNA, DOT, BLOG, GUARDIAN, HKT, RICHARDLI, PCCW, DDS, NOWTV,
METLIFE, FLIR, OLAYANGROUP, LIPSY, OLAYAN, NEXTDIRECT, WARMAN, NEXT, MLS,
PROGRESSIVE, FTR, STATEBANK, SBI, AGAKHAN, ISMAILI, AKDN, IMAMAT, TEVA, JNJ,
BABY, VIG, WEIBO, ABUDHABI, ABBVIE, NORTHWESTERNMUTUAL, KPMG, MUTUAL, JCP,
YUN, SHOUJI, NISSAY, SINA, XIHUAN, ANQUAN, TALK, AWS, YOU, EXTRASPACE, ALLY,
BAREFOOT, GALLO, SHAW, STREAM, LOCUS, GMBH, AVIANCA, BCG, TOTAL, KERRYPROPERTIES,
KERRYLOGISTICS, KUOKGROUP, KERRYHOTELS, VUELOS, PASSAGENS, JPMORGAN, CHASE,
TELECITY, TUNES, SONG, STORE, VIKING, SPOT, COUPON, YAHOO, TVS, FLICKR, GALLUP,
HDFCBANK, PWC, WOLTERSKLUWER, NATURA, FRONTIER, QUEST, UNICOM, DELOITTE, WEATHERCHANNEL,
NIKON, LANXESS, HELSINKI, HEALTH, ADAC, EDEKA, TAOBAO, TMALL, TIFFANY, LIFEINSURANCE,
ALIPAY, ALIBABA, SOFTBANK, COMPARE, SKIN, ISELECT, MAKEUP, SELECT, WEATHER,
TUBE, FRESENIUS, VOLKSWAGEN, DUBAI and BAIDU
In conclusion, it should be clear that the amount of new gTLD's slowed to a great extent after 2016. It should also be clear that the new gTLD's include a high amount of brand names and company names, typically large corporations, such as: media companies, automotive manufacturers, newspapers, electronics brands, supermarket chains, internet service providers, banks, sportswear brands, financial products, and high street stores. ICANN's new gTLD program has not been without its critics, who have expressed the opinion that it cheapens the top-level namespace, and that it has catered to large corporations rather than create a more "inclusive internet" that was expressed as the purpose for the new gTLD program.