Be careful about sites for new TLDs.
Yesterday Information Week reported that Neustar will be running the .nyc domain name when it launches.
As definitive news about new top level domains starts hitting the web, people should be careful about misleading web sites promoting the domains.
Here’s one example: NYCDomain.org.
The domain, owned by a Utah man, is all about the .nyc domain name. And that’s fine.
What’s misleading is the description tag — the thing that shows up when you find the site in Google. Here’s what it reads:
Welcome to .nyc Domain Names. Official domain name registration provider. Register your .nyc domain in real time here.
Hmm. There aren’t any accredited registrars for .nyc yet.
If you look back at Google’s cache of the page from March 18, it reads:
Pre-Registration for the new dot.NYC Domains TLD is now open. Pre-register your dot .NYC top level domain Names now.
To be fair, lots of sites from even reputable domain registrars offered pre-registrations. It’s the latest description that seems most off base.
The only thing on the actual site I can find for actually requesting a .nyc domain is the contact page, which reads “If you would like to request a domain name ending with .NYC, just pop it into the form, and we will let you know when your name is available to be registered.”
A New York City official told PaidContent that the site was misleading and not authorized to reserve domains.
I left a message at the phone number on the whois record for NYCdomain.org today seeking comment.
Marayha says
The whole gTLD project needs to be terminated before more crap like this permeates the internet and causes even more innocent people to lose their money.
Honestly, I don’t care if the tld investors get burned – no sympathy for morons — it’s just sad that innocent victims will also get burned in this silly alternative tld idea.
Tom Gilles says
Sorry I didn’t get the phone message Andrew.
I’ll comment here.
I am the Utah man behind nycdomain.org.
nycdomain.org is an informational site pertaining to the .NYC domain.
And Yes, we plan to promote and vend .NYC domain names when they are available, as a registrar or reseller, As per the ICANN registry agreement.
.NYC is an excellent new gtld and we hope to support adoption and use and help to make the dotNYC domain successful for New York and the world.
We intend to meet all requirements as set forth by the registry when they are finalized.
We make no promises or guarantees for registration. The language is transparent on our name request form. It is more honest, in fact, than any other website out there now.
check it out: http://nycdomain.org/get-nyc-domains/
I am changing the Title and Description tags now. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I overlooked that. Thank You for noting that there were no registration claims on the site.
I wish Mr.Sbordone had mentioned something to me about any concerns he may have had when I spoke to him on the phone last week. The only impression he gave me was that he liked it.
I’m happy to respond in good faith and honesty to any requests about nycdomain.org at info@nycdomain.org
Cheers to all,
Tom Gilles
dotDomainia LLC (dotdomainia.com site set to launch soon. The site residing there now is just a placeholder.)
Tom Gilles says
Description changed.
If you find the word ‘Register’ anywhere on my site, please let me know.