Domain Articles Probably Not True

Posted on August 17, 2025 by Joe Alagna

Scrolling through my Google News feed today, a headline stopped me cold: “12-Year-Old Secur es ‘Zuck.net’ and Is Paid $1 Million and a Free VR Headset.”

The source? A user-generated site called Vocal.media—a platform that it seems, lets just about anyone post “news.” Google syndicates it, so it popped into my feed. Whether or not this particular story is true (it seems more like fiction and I could find no corroboration), it highlights a bigger issue: we are entering an age where AI and automation are flooding the internet with content that looks like news but isn’t.

Why Domains Still Matter in an AI-Fueled Media World

And when that happens often enough, people stop trusting the channel. That’s the real danger of AI: it doesn’t just generate words, it can erode credibility.

When Channels Get Abused

We’ve seen this movie before. Telemarketing was once a legitimate sales channel. But after decades of relentless abuse, most of us don’t answer calls from numbers we don’t recognize. At my in-laws’ house last weekend, their phone rang over ten times in one afternoon—they didn’t even bother looking at the screen. That’s what happens when a channel gets poisoned: people tune it out.

AI risks doing the same thing to news feeds. When junk is mixed with truth, trust collapses.

The Case for Domains

This is why domain names remain essential. If I want reliable information about domain sales, I don’t rely on whatever Google feeds me. I type in trusted outlets like DNJournal.com, NameBio.com, or DomainNameWire.com. The domain itself becomes a marker of credibility.

The same logic applies to email. Phishing thrives because people click on links in a rush. The best defense? Don’t click—type. Teaching people to type in domains rather than follow links is one of the simplest, most effective cybersecurity habits we can pass on.

QR codes make the problem worse. Fraudsters can print & paste a malicious QR code sticker right over a legitimate one, and nobody can tell by looking. It’s only a matter of time before this becomes a major scandal. That’s why I rarely use them—they’re too easy to exploit.

This isn’t to say everything is hopeless. Trusted outlets and domain-based journalism are still alive and well. But the responsibility is shifting to readers: question feeds, resist blind clicks, and type in domains you know.

In the end, the defense against fraud, phishing, and misinformation isn’t complicated:
Don’t just trust the channel. Trust the domain..

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Another Reason We Need Domain Names

Posted on July 23, 2025 by Joe Alagna

According to The Wall Street Journal, chatbots are fast becoming the go-to source for online answers. As consumers turn to AI tools like ChatGPT, we’re seeing a steady erosion of traditional web search—and with it, one of the most important ways businesses connect with customers.

Since January 2024, the percentage of traffic heading to AI chats like OpenAI’s has quadrupled. That’s not a minor trend.

The biggest difference between large language models (LLMs) and search engines is simple: LLMs give you one answer. Not a list of ten blue links. Just one. That means fewer chances for your business to appear in front of potential customers.

This shift makes it clearer than ever: your domain name needs to be the center of your marketing galaxy.

Just like search engines and social networks before them, AI services are gatekeepers. They’ll try to control the messaging—your messaging. But brands that want to retain control of their voice and value proposition can’t afford to hand that over.

You may not be able to control massive tech trends like AI, but you cancontrol how you respond. The smartest move? Start collecting direct data—email addresses, form fills, conversations—from your website visitors. Don’t rely on Google, Facebook, or OpenAI to look out for your best interests.

Instead, tap into the traffic that AI and social platforms generate, then give people an off-ramp to a direct conversation with you. Build your email list. Optimize your landing pages. Make it easy to connect.

Despite what some people say, email isn’t dead. It’s alive and well—and still the most direct and effective way to reach your audience. Think about it: the same folks who claim email is outdated ask for your email address the second you sign up for anything. That’s no accident.

Treat AI, social, and search like what they are: tools for acquisition. Use them to attract attention, then shift that attention to your domain—your ecosystem—where you have control.

The truth is, these platforms often lose their edge over time. Just look at Facebook. Lately, the content I see is filled with clickbait thumbnails and bait-and-switch videos. It’s eroding trust. And that’s not unique to Facebook—these cycles repeat themselves.

So here’s the bottom line: keep your domain name and your email list at the center of your marketing strategy. That’s your home base. That’s where your messaging belongs. 

Posted in ccTLDs, Country Code People, Domain Name News, Domain Names, ICANN, INTA, Registrars, Registries, Tech News and Views | Comments Off on Another Reason We Need Domain Names

My Little New Buddy

Posted on July 23, 2025 by Joe Alagna

On Saturday morning, I found this little guy walking on Edison about a half mile east of Euclid. If you know this area, you know he would have been a goner. The speed limit on this two-lane farm road is 55 MPH, and there are 18-wheelers on it all the time.

He would surely have been run over if I didn’t stop and coax him to come to me. Well, I caught him. I took him to the vet, and he has an abscess on the back of his leg, and I’m pretty sure that’s why he’s so listless. He was scanned, and there is no chip. He had no collar. I have the impression that he’s some kind of farm dog. He’s not neutered.

If somebody wants to claim him, I’m very happy to return him. He’s very nice-natured. He’s not mean at all, and I hate to see him go down. But when I found him, I think he had less than an hour to live because he was listlessly wandering in the middle of the street, and there were trucks and cars stopping and beeping, and he did not seem to want to get out of the middle of the street.

Anyway, since I’ve had him, he’s had many ups and downs. The first few days, all he would do was lie down. He wouldn’t walk. And I could hardly get him to stand.

After a short time on the antibiotic, he began to look like he was returning to normal. He started eating. He started doing his duty both ways. But then, yesterday, he started throwing up everything he ate, so he went back downhill again.

The other thing is every time I bandage him, he chews off the bandage and starts licking it. He’s basically cannibalizing that little wound on his back leg. I have a doughnut on order for his neck today to try to get him to stop because the bandages don’t last more than 10 or 15 minutes.

Anyway, just wanted to share this little adventure I’m having. Hopefully I’ll be able to mend him and keep him because I really like this guy. I’ll update this as we move along. Right now, I’m just waiting for his neck donut. If he eats today (not his own leg), I’m going to try to get him a bath somewhere. 🙂

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ICANN Just Gave Away $9 Million

Posted on June 3, 2025 by Joe Alagna

For those of us who’ve been around the domain name world for a while, this is news worth watching: ICANN has just handed out nearly $10 million in grant money to 21 organizations around the globe. This is the first wave of distributions from their new Grant Program, funded entirely from the proceeds of the 2012 round of new gTLD auctions.

Back in 2012, when multiple companies applied for the same domain extension (think .app, .shop, .blog), ICANN held “last resort” auctions to decide the winners. Those auctions brought in serious money — over $200 million. And for over a decade, the industry’s been asking: what’s going to happen to all that cash? Well, now we know. ICANN has decided to put a chunk of it toward projects that claim to support a more secure, stable, and inclusive internet.

The first batch of recipients includes everything from DNS security initiatives to efforts that increase internet access in underserved communities. A few focus on multilingual access, and others aim to strengthen local internet governance. Each project could receive up to $500,000 — enough to make a difference, especially in the hands of the right people. While it’s too soon to say what the long-term impact will be, it’s a promising start.

This also feels like a bit of long-overdue follow-through. For years, there’s been speculation — and some frustration — over how that auction money would be used. Should it be returned to the applicants? Used to reduce ICANN fees? Held in reserve? This grant program suggests ICANN is taking a more philanthropic route, using those funds to reinforce the broader internet ecosystem. It’s hard to argue with that intention, even if some of us might’ve handled it differently.

Personally, I’m glad to see some motion. The 2012 round changed a lot about how the internet is named and navigated. Seeing that momentum ripple outward, even this far down the road, is a good reminder that this space is still evolving. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of more thoughtful, impactful investments into the infrastructure that keeps the internet running.

I know someone who applied for some of these funds. They had a great and worthy initiative. But if there is one thing learned from these awards, it is that you should ask for more rather than less. It’s the same amount of work for the providers to give out $500K as it is to give out $50K. 🙂

For more information, visit ICANN.

Posted in ccTLDs, Country Code People, Domain Name News, Domain Names, ICANN, Plain Interesting, Registrars, Registries, Tech News and Views | Comments Off on ICANN Just Gave Away $9 Million