Microsoft, Nokia and Oracle complain over Google's gTLD submissions

The debates on generic top level domains (gTLDs) took another twist on Tuesday when an organisation with members including Microsoft, Nokia and Oracle filed a compliant over Google’s submissions.

The opening up of generic domains for purchase was cited by many as a cause of troublewas cited by many as a cause of trouble, and it appears these warnings may be coming true as debates around ownership of terms such as .book and .read wanted by Amazon have already caused debate.

Now, Fairsearch.org, a group that claims to “promote economic growth, innovation and choice across the internet” has levelled a complaint at Google over its submissions.

In a statement to the organisation behind the gLTD policy, Icann, the group said it was concerned giving Google the domains of .search, .map and .fly would enable it to grow its already significant market dominance to an unfair level.

If Google is given control over the new “.map” and “.fly” gTLDs, Google will have the power to decide which of its mapping and flight-booking competitors will have access to the important new signposts on the Internet that signal to users whether a website’s content is credible and relevant to their interests,” it said.

“Google’s applications for “.search,” “.map” and “.fly” are particularly concerning given the company’s market power and preferential treatment of its own search, map and online travel services.

“Uncontested and unmonitored ownership of these gTLDs will only further strengthen Google’s dominant market power, which it uses to steer users to Google’s own product sites by prominently displaying its own products on its homepage, a practice often referred to as ‘search bias’.”

V3 contacted Google for comment on the claims made but had received no reply at time of publication.

Google is already facing complaints on some of its other submissions, alongside the likes of Amazon and Symantec, in some of the early disagreements Icann has revealed it is dealing with.