Submission + - Internet "overhaul" wins approval (bbc.co.uk)
vivin writes: "This story was previously covered on Slashdot. BBC says that ICANN has voted unanimously to "relax" the rules on TLD's, and the "overhaul" has been given the go-ahead in Paris. Individuals can register domains in their own name as long as they show a "business plan and technical capacity". One of the members of ICANN, Peter Dengate Thrush, said the decision to relax the rules was of "historic importance". The article also notes that "While companies will be able to secure domain names easily based on their intellectual property, some domain names could become subject to contention and a bidding war." O RLY? Welcome to a new age of domain squatters and phishing sites. Oh, and then there's rewriting all those URL validation scripts. Why do I get the feeling that this is the dumbest idea ever? At the very least I hope they have some strict rules regarding the obtaining and registering of these new TLD's."