.eco
| Status: | Proposed |
| country: | International |
| Manager: | Big Room Inc. Minds +Machines |
| Registry Provider: | Afilias (Big Room Inc.) |
| Type: | Niche/Community gTLD |
| Community: | Yes (Big Room Inc.) |
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.eco is a proposed gTLD in ICANN's new gTLD program. At one time, there were multiple companies publicly interested in applying to manage a .eco TLD. The TLD is aimed at drawing attention to ecological causes, organizations, and other entities associating themselves with positive ecological developments.
One public applicant, Big Room Inc., has announced a partnership with Afilias for their back-end and technical needs, and also announced that they intend to apply for the TLD as a Community gTLD. They have been working with the World Wildlife Federation (WWF), Greenpeace, and Conservation International to demonstrate the requisite community support.[1]
Contention
.eco was identified as a contentious TLD early on, with the main parties being Big Room Inc., and Dot Eco LLC.. Dot Eco LLC was aligned with former Vice-President of the USA, Al Gore, and the Alliance for Climate Protection, the Sierra Club and Surfrider Foundation. Big Room Inc. was, at that time, associated with Mikhail Gorbachev, the Russian ex-president, and Green Cross International. In August, 2009, the two organizations were going back and forth disparaging the others' business model.[2]
In September, 2011, it was announced that the Gore supported project, Dot Eco LLC. was dissolved and no longer planning on applying to ICANN for the .eco TLD.[3]
Minds + Machines have announced intentions to apply for a .eco TLD.[4]
Early Criticism
There has been early speculation by one academic that the creation of a .eco TLD, while potentially helping some ecological causes, could have the effect of "greenwashing" non-eco-friendly companies and efforts. Greenwashing is defined as companies making deceptive or misleading claims that their services and products are environmentally friendly.[5]