This week, ICANN finally approved the Applicant Guidebook—essentially the RFP—for the 2026 round of new gTLDs. This marks the single biggest milestone toward accepting applications in just about six months’ time. Most people will never fully appreciate the amount of work that went into this moment—more than a decade in the making. Some of us began this effort back in 2014–2015, right as the first wave of new gTLDs was still being launched. At the time, it was nearly impossibl

Every possible precaution must be taken to ensure the secure and stability of the root. However, we also must ensure that perceptions, feel