Internet to Open Up Domain Names

The international regulatory body overseeing Internet domain names has voted to allow almost any domain address—so long as the person or group registering it can pay an $185,000 fee. That means corporations are likely to be the first to sign up. GM, for example, could buy “cars.gm”; local businesses could also buy domain names relating to their locale, like “.nyc.” or .london”. Almost any word will work, including words in Arabic and Chinese. People and groups can begin applying for new domains January 12; first approvals are expected by the end of 2012.