Evaluation of the reconfiguration of Internet governace with the diversification of domain names

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K00464
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Library and information science/Humanistic social informatics
• Research Institution: Daito Bunka University
• Principal Investigator: Kamimura Keisuke 大東文化大学, 外国語学部, 教授 (10319014)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: インターネットガバナンス / 公平性 / 識別子 / 登録料 / gTLD / ICANN / NRI

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on the analysis of price elasticity of domain name registrations, geographic gTLDs, compared to the other newly introduced gTLDs, are found to have a monopolistic status in the TLD market. The finding coincides with the previous finding in the comparison of legacy gTLDs and ccTLDs. It is considered that geographic gTLDs may require a similar oversight mechanism to that of ccTLDs. The governance of ccTLDs are found to be in transition, and some ccTLD is facing a fundamental structural review. It is suggested that the policies for the administration and management of a geographic TLD may need to address the monopolistic influence which the given TLD may exercise, and to institutionalise the post-delegation oversight by the relevant geographic authorities.

Free Research Field

情報社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

トップレベルドメイン名（TLD）は、インターネット上での様ざまな資源識別や情報交換の基礎的なインフラである。本研究は、この情報社会におけるインフラが安定性および公平性をもって管理運営されるために必要な条件を、従来の技術・工学的な観点ではなく、社会経済的な観点から明らかにしたものである。本研究課題の成果は、地理的名称のドメイン名政策を形成・再形成する上で活用できる。