Will current web address owners be given
special registration preference?
Most likely, the answer is no, but it depends on the rules put in place
by the TLD Registry. Some may impose a period of time for trademark
holders to register first. Other rules may require compliance with the
particular TLD. An example - only aerospace companies can register .aero.
Otherwise these new TLDs will be available on a first-come, first-serve
basis to anyone that wants to register them. Even if the domain name
you want is already registered by someone else in a com/net/org, you
still have the opportunity to register it in one of the new TLDs. However,
if you successfully register a domain name in one of the new TLDs that
is currently trademarked by an individual or company with an existing
com/net/org, your domain name registrations could be challenged by that
individual or company. Second level domains in the new gTLDs that embody
existing trademark rights may be held only by the owner of the trademark
rights. If you register a domain name in any of the new gTLDs that embodies
trademark rights owned by another person, the registration will be subject
to cancellation if the trademark owner brings a challenge under the
dispute settlement regime.