The International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers recently
announced that they had received 1,930 applications from organizations and individuals wanting to own new specific web address extensions. (Similar to .com, .net and .biz) With nearly half of the applications originating in North America, most are exactly who you'd expect. Apple computer company is seeking to lock down .apple and protect their brand, ABC wants to ensure no one tries to stream their shows on a (perhaps convincing) address and geographic regions look to protect their images for Pr and tourism profits.
Amongst the sea of application is one stream that stands out in this collection of multi-national corporations, governments, and wealthy entrepreneurs: religious organizations. RNS
reports that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints placed bids on .LDS and .Mormon and that the Vatican applied for .Catholic in four languages at a cost of $740,000.
Monsignor Paul Tighe, secretary of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Social Communications has said .Catholic will help his church deliver its message online.
But only entities, parishes and religious orders formally recognized under canon law would be allowed to use .Catholic, "so people online -- Catholics and non-Catholics -- will know a site is authentically Catholic," Tighe told Catholic News Service.
At a time when the vatican is battling liberal theologians and American nuns over the definition of modern Catholicism, .Catholic would ... allow the church hierarchy to monitor and control its brand...
What I find most interesting about RNS's article, though, is that the LifeChurch.tv applied for the simple extension .church. LifeChurch has said that they will most likely allow any organization of people who share "similar religious beliefs" to apply.
What do you think about ICANN ceding control over vast swathes of online real estate to organizations with enough cash? Should any one ministry be allowed to decide who has access to .church, .christian or any other religious web address extension?