Norwegian domain names for private individuals

The category second level domain priv.no is reserved for private individuals who want to register a Norwegian domain name. Norid is now considering how the possibilities for individuals to get a domain name should be arranged in the future.

Some major issues must be clarified before a domain name policy for private individuals will be in effect.

Many issues under consideration

It is necessary to consider the legal consequences of having private individuals as domain name holders; such as personal data protection, consumer rights, rules of inheritance etc.. Furthermore it has to be decided whether private individuals should continue to register their domains within priv.no, or whether they should be allowed to register directly within .no together with companies and other professionals. A domain name policy change on this issue is a crucial decision which cannot be reversed. It is therefore very important to gather information from all groups that will be affected.

Norid's role

Norid's role is to conduct a thorough and orderly process in order to uncover needs and wishes, and to find the best solutions for the Norwegian society as a whole. Norpol, which is the advisory body for policy issues, is an important listening post in this process. To get more systematic information about the needs, we will conduct several extensive surveys among private individuals. Later on we will conduct a public hearing to get the society's input on major policy issues. As part of the process, we will also collect and analyse the experiences other countries have had with private individuals as domain name holders.

We believe that the new policy will be ready by the end of 2009. When the new policy is completed, it has to be implemented technically to make sure the application process works properly.

Why get a private domain name?

Individuals are becoming more and more active Internet users, and those who want a private domain name place emphasis on the importance of having their own email address and website that they can keep for the rest of their lives, regardless of place of study, place of work, and Internet provider. Some people want a family domain, where each family member can have their own email address and maybe a website.

Safety on the Internet is becoming even more important. The Norwegian top level domain is known for its good quality and high level of security, and does very well in comparative studies internationally. Many people consider this an important issue when choosing a top level domain for their registration.

Todays registrations within priv.no carry on as normal

Until the process is completed, Norid will manage priv.no so that the registrations that exist today can be maintained. In the interim period it will not be possible to register new domain names within priv.no.

Background