Domain Industry News Digest: December 2023
- by Ilona K.
Table of contents
Welcome to our monthly Domain Industry News Digest. Every month, we’ll share a quick overview of domain name industry news, trends and events to keep you up to date with the latest happenings. Here’s a summary for December 2023.
Google SEO Analyst: Domain Age Does Not Affect SEO
One user asked on X (Twitter) whether domain age affects SEO (Search Engine Optimization). While SEO specialists have long noticed that older domain names appear more often in the first positions of search results, John Mueller, Google SEO Analyst, clarified that domain age matters mainly to those selling domains.
Misunderstandings likely arose from a Google Historical Information Retrieval patent which suggested that spam domains tend to be newly-made. However, although Google uses domain age to detect spam, this metric is not applied to rank websites in search results.
Why should you care? After Mueller’s clarification, you can safely buy a new domain rather than wait for the old one with the name you need to become available. Moreover, you could turn your attention to new domain extensions, such as .it.com, because the choice of free domain names there is much larger than that of ‘Legacy’ TLDs.
Source: X (Twitter)
New Domain Blocking Service from GoDaddy
With support from 650+ gTLDs (generic top-level domains) and ccTLDs (country-code top-level), GoDaddy Registry and Identity Digital, are going live next month with their new domain-blocking service, GlobalBlock+.
Based on GoDaddy’s AdultBlock and Identity Digital’s DPML (domains protected marks list), it allows trademark owners to block unauthorized use of their logos across TLDs for a single fee. GlobalBlock+ also covers typos and IDN (Internationalized Domain Name) homographs.
The service, supported by gTLD registries Nominet and CoCCA, prevents cybersquatters and phishers from claiming blocked domains. Influenced by GlobalBlock, 35 registries have requested a Label Blocking Service from ICANN.
Why should you care? The new service will help domain protection efforts by preventing scammers from using blocked domains. If fraudsters have registered a domain similar to yours and are trying to conduct illegal activities using it, the GlobalBlock+ service will ensure that this domain is blocked and, after its expiration date, removed from the database.
Source: Domain Incite
Fake Peraton Domain Deceives Users
Fraudsters deceived users and received their money using a domain similar to the official one used by American national security and technology company Peraton. They have registered a doppelganger of the company’s domain for fraudulent activities. In this way, they have gained control of email accounts to create fraudulent invoices, impersonate companies, and trick customers into wiring funds.
Peraton has sued the domain and requested an injunction, although Namecheap has already disabled the domain’s DNS.
Why should you care? Scammers still manage to deceive users in various ways. Be careful when following links, and check official resources to verify if the domain name belongs to the company.
Source: Domain Name Wire
ICANN Reviews New Rules to Tackle DNS Abuse
ICANN has given a heads-up to domain admins and registrars about new restrictions they’re considering to tackle DNS abuse. The new rules were approved by a majority of ICANN participants, pending the approval from the ICANN Board of Directors.
In a nutshell, if a registrar believes there’s a domain under their watch that’s engaging in nefarious activities, they must intervene and take the necessary action to stop the misconduct. The course of action they take will depend on the individual case and the extent of the havoc caused by the DNS abuse and related fallout.
The standards for domain zone admins have also been revised similarly, becoming more stringent with clearer wording.
DNS abuses encompass malware distribution, botnets, phishing, pharming, and spam (if spam serves the four types of malicious activities mentioned earlier).
Why should you care? This marks another step in the ongoing battle against cybercrime. ICANN aims to enhance online safety for both domain owners and users. The new rules are designed to enable registrars to respond promptly to the illegal use of domains.
Source: Domain Incite, ICANN website
Stay up to date with domain industry trends and news – visit it.com Domains’ blog and follow us on social media.
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