Algorithm to end domain name (Extension) confusion

[Mark]

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2216935/algorithm-aims-domain-name

Algorithm to end domain name confusion
Nist researcher aims to thwart malicious domain name lookalikes

Written by Robert Jaques

vnunet.com, 19 May 2008


A computer scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology has developed an algorithm designed to help create new top-level internet domains.

As new domains are added to the familiar .com, .info and .net, the algorithm checks whether the newly proposed name is confusingly similar to existing ones by looking for visual likenesses in its appearance.

Having visually distinct top-level domain names may help avoid confusion in navigating the ever-expanding internet.

Little late IMO ~ But at least someone is thinking about "Extension Typos" now after the whole .cm / .com thing has happened.

 

[Timewarp]

I guess its a baby step to solving the similar but much larger problem of Internationalized Domain Names.

 

[Ronald Regging]

I liken this to automated domain appraisal sites. They all consider certain factors, but collectively, there are just way too many variables and unknowns to account for any level of serious accuracy. Now they want to use a similiar method to decide which domains we can and cannot register based merely on visual similiarity? Forget context, usage or trademark law, we're just skipping all of that and stripping it down to base visual properties. Computer scientist is too gracious a term for him I think.

 

[Timewarp]

This isn't going to take the place of trademark law, in fact it will help spot squatters and phishers early for domains like S0NY.com (with a zero). Thats just one example, with international alphabets the potential problems are huge.