Google has notified ICANN of the launch dates for its .MEET domain. It can be considered a domain with a difficult fate. Initially, Afilias applied for it back in 2012. The company planned to use the domain for online dating services. But these plans never came to fruition, and in 2015, Afilias sold the domain to Google. In turn, Google did not rush to launch the domain, although in 2017, it launched the Google Meet online video conferencing service.
Google apparently thinks that now is a good time for the launch. During the pandemic, Google Meet should compete with Zoom: in early May, Google opened free access to the service for everyone, and now it plans to make full use of .MEET for its own needs. Beginning June 25, trademark owners will be able to register names in .MEET. There will be no other external registrations in the domain; Google intends to use it exclusively for itself. However, ICANN has the final say, recalls Domain Incite. The fact is that ICANN rules provide for such a closed model exclusively for dot-brands, and domains whose names are commonly used dictionary words do not qualify. The latter certainly applies to meet.
