ICANN invites public input on updated string similarity rules for the 2026 new gTLD round
ICANN has published updated String Similarity Evaluation guidelines for public comment as preparations advance for the 2026 round of the New gTLD Program. The consultation seeks community feedback on how applied-for domain strings should be assessed to avoid user confusion in the Domain Name System.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has opened a public comment period on its updated guidelines for evaluating string similarity in the upcoming 2026 round of the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program. The document outlines the criteria and processes the evaluation panel will use to determine whether proposed domain strings are too visually similar to existing ones, a key step intended to safeguard users from confusion and maintain confidence in the Domain Name System.
The consultation follows recommendations from the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), which advised that string similarity checks should remain part of the application evaluation process for future gTLD rounds. The guidelines reflect these policy directions, incorporating work from the Internationalized Domain Names Expedited Policy Development Process, which expanded the scope of similarity assessments to include variant forms of applied-for strings.
ICANN first published draft guidelines in early 2024, proposing a tool-based approach using similarity data to flag potentially problematic strings. This automated analysis will support the panel’s manual review, helping to identify cases where two strings may be difficult for users to distinguish. Since then, ICANN has developed both the evaluation tool and its underlying similarity datasets, which are now also available for public comment.
The updated guidelines are intended to provide clarity on how the evaluation will operate for the 2026 round, where applicants will be competing for new top-level domains across a wide range of languages and scripts. ICANN is seeking input on the methodology, the use of the similarity tool, and the broader framework governing how visually similar strings are handled.
Submissions are open from 26 November 2025 until 22 January 2026. After reviewing community feedback, ICANN will finalise and publish the guidelines, which will then guide the expert panel responsible for conducting string similarity evaluations in the next application round.
