The Registration Service Of Internet Generic Top-level Domains Under The Review Of Antitrust Law Analysis

The Domain Name System associates IP addresses with corresponding domain names assigned to each of the participating entities,which facilitates the global reach of Internet and the free flow of information.The Domain Name System is a critical Internet infrastructure.It is a decentralized hierarchical system which only has a single root,and the core of the registration service of generic top-level domains is to add certain string into the root file of the DNS.Currently there is only one company who provide the registration of generic top-level domains,which is the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers(ICANN).It is registered and operated in United States.There have been many attempts with an aim to provide alternative domain name system,yet due to network effects and many other factors,none of them has posted any material challenge to the monopoly position of ICANN.The establishment and development of ICANN were closely related to the government of the United States,and the work of ICANN implementing the registration of new generic top-level domains has been under certain supervision of the government of the United States,yet it is never the case that ICANN should enjoy antitrust immunity and escape the antitrust laws.Up until now there have already been some scholars analyzing the monopoly position and acts of ICANN,and also some antitrust practices examining the acts of ICANN and its predecessors.Through analyses on the legal position of ICANN,the market structure of the registration of generic top-level domains and the acts of ICANN jeopardizing competition,it is possible and applausable that ICANN should be subject to antitrust review.Possible regulating measures include reforming the decision making body of the registration of new generic top-level domains,splitting the decision making and the service provision of the registration of new generic top-level domains,etc.,so that competition in the market of generic top-level domain names can be introduced and promoted,and thus the society as a whole could enjoy more benefits.