The FairSearch coalition has filed objections with ICANN over Google’s application to acquire generic top level domains.

gTLDs (photo – icann.org)

Google has filed applications for more than 100 generic domains. The FairSearch objections are specifically related to the fly, search and map domain applications.

FairSearch claims a monopoly on these generic terms would give Google an unfair advantage. The coalition includes companies that have had their clocks fairly cleaned by Google in the search marketplace.

One of the FairSearch members is Microsoft. Google’s application for the search domain could badly hurt Microsoft’s attempts to make inroads on Google’s search monopoly.

The billions spent on the Bing launch will go down the drain. Let’s not forget the cost of their search alliance with Yahoo. It created what is now known as the Yahoo! Bing Network.

Quite a few FairSearch members are from the travel industry. Expedia, TripAdvisor, Kayak and Hotwire are members. Google has been encroaching on their turf in the past few years.

Their main complaint is about Google’s acquisition of ITA Software. This company’s travel booking solutions are indispensable. Google has released a number of travel products on its sites. Travelers can directly book from Google Search and Google Maps.

Google is also trying to get its hands on the fly and map generic domains. This would be one more nail in the coffin for online travel companies.

Google would get to decide who gets websites under these generic top level domains. Google could push map and search traffic to these sites. The rest would have to pay to play.

FairSearch also claims that Google would be able to access data on all websites under these generic domains. Competitors would be denied this access. This would give Google another unfair advantage over the competition.