Generic Top-Level Domains

A Study of Transnational Private Regulation

Elgar Studies in Law and Regulation

Tobias Mahler, Faculty of Law, The University of Oslo, Norway

This topical book examines the regulatory framework for introducing generic Top-Level Domains on the Internet. Drawn up by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), these rules form part of a growing body of transnational private regulation, complementing national and international law. The book elucidates and discusses how ICANN has tackled a diverse set of economic and regulatory issues, including competition, consumer protection, property rights, procedural fairness, and the resolution of disputes.

‘Tobias Mahler's book Generic Top-Level Domains is a highly important contribution to the newly developing concept of transnational private regulation. The alteration and expansion of the domain name space since 2012 merit the given deep analysis of the globally applicable rules pertaining to an emerging class of legal sources and of the changing property and contract rights notions. The book convincingly also pleads for the implementation of a more elaborated ICANN arbitration system.’
– Rolf H. Weber, University of Zürich, Switzerland

'This study by Tobias Mahler is a sophisticated, highly recommended piece of research. It describes the whole universe of ICANN’s theories and their role in establishing new gTLDs. With his broad knowledge and expertise in information law, Tobias Mahler capably defines new problems related to the regulation of gTLDs. Everyone who is interested in Internet governance definitely needs to buy this masterpiece of research.'
——托马斯Hoeren, University of Muenster, Germany