Changes

}}

}}

'''.com''' is one of the first [[TLD]]s to be used on the Internet's [[DNS|Domain Name System]];  it was originally intended for commercial purposes, though there are no current restrictions limiting it to commercial entities. It was introduced in 1985 by [[IANA]], which is responsible for the overall coordination and management of the DNS; the organization was led by [[Jon Postel]] at the time. On January 28, 1986, the entities overseeing the DNS met and restructured its makeup to correspond to 8 TLDs, including .com, the others are: [[.gov]] (government), [[.edu ]] (American higher education), [[.mil]] (American military), [[.org]] (organization), [[.int]] (international, specifically NATO relations), [[.net]] (sites related to the Internet itself), [[.bitnet]] (computers on the BITNET network).<ref>[http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc920#page-2 RFC 920], IETF.org. Published 1984 October.</ref><ref>[http://www.livingInternet.com/i/iw_dns_name.htm IW DNS name], LivingInternet.com.</ref>

'''.com''' is one of the first [[TLD]]s to be used on the Internet's [[DNS|Domain Name System]];  it was originally intended for commercial purposes, though there are no current restrictions limiting it to commercial entities. It was introduced in 1985 by [[IANA]], which is responsible for the overall coordination and management of the DNS; the organization was led by [[Jon Postel]] at the time. On January 28, 1986, the entities overseeing the DNS met and restructured its makeup to correspond to 8 TLDs, including .com, the others are: [[.gov]] (government), [[.edu ]] (American higher education), [[.mil]] (American military), [[.org]] (organization), [[.int]] (international, specifically NATO relations), [[.net]] (sites related to the Internet itself), [[.bitnet]] (computers on the BITNET network).<ref>[http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc920#page-2 RFC 920], IETF.org. Published 1984 October.</ref><ref>[http://www.livinginternet.com/i/iw_dns_name.htm IW DNS name], LivingInternet.com.</ref>

.com is the most popular gTLD with more than 100 million registrants worldwide. The global demand for the .com gTLD remains strong as the number of global Internet users continues to grow.<ref>[http://www.verisigninc.com/en_US/products-and-services/domain-name-services/registry-services/com-domain-names/index.xhtml.com Domain Name Registry], VerisignInc.com.</ref> [[Verisign]] is the registry operator of the .com gTLD, and was approved by [[ICANN]] in 2006.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/tlds/agreements/verisign/registry-agmt-com-22sep10.htm .com Registry Agreement], ICANN.org. Published 22 September 10.</ref>

.com is the most popular gTLD with more than 100 million registrants worldwide. The global demand for the .com gTLD remains strong as the number of global Internet users continues to grow.<ref>[http://www.verisigninc.com/en_US/products-and-services/domain-name-services/registry-services/com-domain-names/index.xhtml.com Domain Name Registry], VerisignInc.com.</ref> [[Verisign]] is the registry operator of the .com gTLD, and was approved by [[ICANN]] in 2006.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/tlds/agreements/verisign/registry-agmt-com-22sep10.htm .com Registry Agreement], ICANN.org. Published 22 September 10.</ref>

=== Controversial .com Domain Names===

=== Controversial .com Domain Names===

====Sex.com====

====Sex.com====

Sex.com has historically been one of the most controversial domain names on the Internet, and the drama involved has provided enough fodder for at least two separate books to be written on the topic.<ref>[http://www.domainnamenews.com/domain-sales/sexcom-foreclosure/7208 DomainNameNews.com]</ref> It was first registered through Network Solutions in 1994 by [[Gary Kremen]]. The ownership of the sex.com was transfered by NSI to [[Stephen Cohen]] in 1995 when he submitted forged ownership transfer documents to Network Solutions. Kremen accused Network Solutions of negligent transfer and filed charges against Cohen demanding the return sex.com and the profits accumulated by the site.<ref>[http://www.issuesinInternetlaw.com/cases/kremen.html Kremen vs. Cohen]</ref>

Sex.com has historically been one of the most controversial domain names on the Internet, and the drama involved has provided enough fodder for at least two separate books to be written on the topic.<ref>[http://www.domainnamenews.com/domain-sales/sexcom-foreclosure/7208 DomainNameNews.com]</ref> It was first registered through Network Solutions in 1994 by [[Gary Kremen]]. The ownership of the sex.com was transfered by NSI to [[Stephen Cohen]] in 1995 when he submitted forged ownership transfer documents to Network Solutions. Kremen accused Network Solutions of negligent transfer and filed charges against Cohen demanding the return sex.com and the profits accumulated by the site.<ref>[http://www.issuesininternetlaw.com/cases/kremen.html Kremen vs. Cohen]</ref>

In 2001, US District Judge James Ware ruled in favor of Kremen and directed Cohen to pay $65 million in lost revenue and damages to Cohen.<ref>[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/04/04/sex_com_owner_wins_65m/ Sex.com owner wins $65 million damages]</ref> Cohen ignored the court order and became a fugitive, and so a warrant was issued for his arrest. Kremen offered a $50,000 reward for Cohen's arrest.<ref>[http://www.offshore-e-com.com/asp/story/story.asp?storyname=3850 $50,000 Reward for the Man who Stole SEx.com]</ref>

In 2001, US District Judge James Ware ruled in favor of Kremen and directed Cohen to pay $65 million in lost revenue and damages to Cohen.<ref>[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/04/04/sex_com_owner_wins_65m/ Sex.com owner wins $65 million damages]</ref> Cohen ignored the court order and became a fugitive, and so a warrant was issued for his arrest. Kremen offered a $50,000 reward for Cohen's arrest.<ref>[http://www.offshore-e-com.com/asp/story/story.asp?storyname=3850 $50,000 Reward for the Man who Stole SEx.com]</ref>

===Overcrowding of .Com Domain Space===

===Overcrowding of .Com Domain Space===

.com is the most popular and widely registered top level domain name by Internet users worldwide. In 2000, there were more than 20 million registered names under the .com domain name space.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/17/technology/17DOMA.html%20(last%20visited%20Dec.%202,%202000)www.nytimes.com NYTimes.com]</ref> The overcrowding of the .com domain space has resulted in difficulties for users to find appealing domain names. This led to a proposal from the Internet community to create new gTLDs to solve the problem. On April 18-19, 2000, during the [[ICANN Yokohama]] meeting, the [[DNSO]] Names Council proposed the implementation of new TLDs to promote competition in the domain name registration business, enhance the utility of the DNS, and  increase the available number of domain names.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/meetings/yokohama/new-tld-topic.htm#IIC www.icann.org]</ref> On November 16, 2000, ICANN approved seven new gTLDs which include [[.biz]], [[.info]], [[.name]], [[.pro]], [[.museum]], [[.aero]] and [[.coop]] to ease up the exhaustion of the .com and the [[.net]] domain space. Further expansion of available [[gTLD]]s is expected to be authorized at ICANN's 2011 meeting in Singapore.

.com is the most popular and widely registered top level domain name by internet users worldwide. In 2000, there were more than 20 million registered names under the .com domain name space.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/17/technology/17DOMA.html%20(last%20visited%20Dec.%202,%202000)www.nytimes.com NYTimes.com]</ref> The overcrowding of the .com domain space has resulted in difficulties for users to find appealing domain names. This led to a proposal from the Internet community to create new gTLDs to solve the problem. On April 18-19, 2000, during the [[ICANN Yokohama]] meeting, the [[DNSO]] Names Council proposed the implementation of new TLDs to promote competition in the domain name registration business, enhance the utility of the DNS, and  increase the available number of domain names.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/meetings/yokohama/new-tld-topic.htm#IIC www.icann.org]</ref> On November 16, 2000, ICANN approved seven new gTLDs which include [[.biz]], [[.info]], [[.name]], [[.pro]], [[.museum]], [[.aero]] and [[.coop]] to ease up the exhaustion of the .com and the [[.net]] domain space. Further expansion of available [[gTLD]]s is expected to be authorized at ICANN's 2011 meeting in Singapore.

===U.S. Seizures of Domain Names===

===U.S. Seizures of Domain Names===