Stephen Cenatiempo
There are some changes coming to the way business domain names will operate in Australia. My understanding is that soon you'll be able to, if you have a website that's .com.au or .net.au you'll be able to just drop the .com and .net and have xyz.au. But unfortunately, this could open businesses up to scammers and cyber squatters. I don't know what all that means, but Bruce Billson is the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, and he joins us now. Bruce, good morning.
Bruce Billson
Steve, happy to be with you and the listeners on a great day in the capital.
Stephen Cenatiempo
It is a beautiful day indeed. Now, Bruce, so is this going to be a compulsory move or will companies still be able to maintain their existing websites?
Bruce Billson
No, it's not compulsory. So businesses that have invested in their digital identity will continue to have full functionality. All of that will be fine. What this is, is that a new, and in some people's eyes, and slightly more funky way of having a shortened domain name, something that's a little easier to navigate when you're on the phone or a mobile device.
And it's happened in a few other countries around the world and it's heading our way and there's an opportunity now to go from supersteve.com.au to just supersteve.au and that's an opportunity that there. My concern is people need to take action to protect their digital assets, their interests. This change, this opportunity, isn't widely known and there's a risk that people will either pinch your domain name from underneath you or it'll enable some of the cybersquatting and cybercriminal activity by mimicking or faking websites and the like, not to the advantage of the businesses and the consumers involved.
So that's the real caution. But the call for action is if this matters to you, spend a few minutes, a few dollars, protect your interests before those shortened domain names become available to the general public.
Stephen Cenatiempo
So, as it stands at the moment, you'll have exclusive access to it until the 20th of September to basically get your own name. But then after that, anybody can register brucebillson.au if you haven't already done it.
Bruce Billson
Yep, that's right. So, what you've got is this priority allocation. So, where you've got something and you know, there's the mirror version of it minus the .com, minus the .net, whatever the case may be, there's a priority allocation window that gives you a chance to protect your like-for-like interests up until the 20th of September. Two weeks later, though, the door's open. People can have a go at it.
And I'm sure you and your listeners Steve would be aware there's been significant cases where people have speculated and grabbed a few domain names thinking that the business that it relates to might by pay a handsome fee for it down the track.
A lot of people invest in their digital identity and it talks a lot about who they are. And to try and have that emulated and direct customer traffic away from your business site. And then there's the issue of cybercrime and there's been a warning from the Cyber Security Center here in the capital that this is another opportunity where cyber criminals could take that opportunistic move, register your domain name and attempt to impersonate your business. They've put a warning out saying be very careful, be alert and protect your interests.
Stephen Cenatiempo
So, the reality is, for the sake of 20 or 30 bucks a year, which is roughly what it costs to register a domain name, even if you're not going to use it, you're better off buying it so nobody else can.
Bruce Billson
Exactly. Well, that's what I would do. What are my interests? Would I be upset if someone else got my domain name, the shortened version? Would that disadvantage me? Would I feel I've missed an important opportunity? And I'd be protecting my interest. The big thing is don't get caught short on these shortened domain names.
There are people there that will take advantage of this opportunity. I'm not sure the public awareness is strong about this change. It needs to be, because asset holders - and let's think about a domain name as an asset - they need to protect their interests. Now's the time before others have an opportunity to grab hold of that domain name that you might think should be yours.
Stephen Cenatiempo
Good advice, Bruce. Appreciate your time this morning.
Bruce Billson
Good to be with you, Stephen. Take care and have a splendid weekend.
Stephen Cenatiempo
Bruce Billson is the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman.
