Hi Nikenn ~
You asked an interesting question.
In its broadest sense, your question can be answered simply with a
"Yes, you can use a .biz domain as a redirect to another domain".
Restrictions on
.biz Top Level Domains (TLDs)
==============================
What you didn't ask, however, and perhaps should have: Are there
restrictions on the USE of a .biz domain at all?
The Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has set
up the following restrictions for .biz top level domain names:
"1. Registrations in the .biz TLD must be used or intended
to be used primarily for bona fide business or
commercial purposes; and
2. Registrations in the .biz TLD must comply with the
Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy ("UDRP"), as adopted
and as may be amended by the Internet Corporation of
Assigned Names and Numbers. For proceedings intitiated
before the Commencement-of-Service Date, a modified
version of the UDRP, known as the Start-Up Uniform
Dispute Resolution Policy ("SUDRP") (which also
includes corresponding modifications to the Rules for
Uniform Domain Name Resolution Policy) will apply.
- http://www.icann.org/tlds/agreements/biz/registry-agmt-appl-18apr01.htm
ICANN also defines "bona fide business commercial use" as:
"... the bona fide use or bona fide intent to use the domain
name or any content, software, materials, graphics or other
information thereon, to permit Internet users to access one
or more host computers through the DNS:
1. To exchange goods, services, or property of any kind;
2. In the ordinary course of trade or business; or
3. To facilitate (i) the exchange of goods, services,
information, or property of any kind; or, (ii) the
ordinary course of trade or business."
- http://www.icann.org/tlds/agreements/biz/registry-agmt-appl-18apr01.htm
Purposes for which it CANNOT be used and will be considered a
violation of its use are also set out:
"...the following shall not constitute a "bona fide business
or commercial use" of a domain name:
1. Using or intending to use the domain name exclusively
for personal, noncommercial purposes; or
2. Using or intending to use the domain name exclusively for
the expression of noncommercial ideas (i.e., registering
abcsucks.biz exclusively to criticize or otherwise
express an opinion on the products or services of ABC
company, with no other intended business or commercial
purpose)."
- http://www.icann.org/tlds/agreements/biz/registry-agmt-appl-18apr01.htm
Since there are specifications regarding the "bona fide business
commercial use" as well as what is NOT considered a bona fide use of
the .biz TLD, there is no reason you cannot use a redirect of a .biz
to another domain, so long as the domain you are redirecting it to
falls within the "bona fide business commercial use" for the .biz
domain.
In other words, if you already own ABC-Widgets.com and you sell
widgets from that domain, you can also purchase and redirect
ABC-Widgets.BIZ to your ABC-Widgets.com site.
It would also be safe to say that you cannot redirect a .biz to any
domain that is not involved in business or commerce as defined above.
Disclaimer:
============
I direct your attention to the disclaimer below:
"Answers and comments provided on Google Answers are general
information, and are not intended to substitute for informed
professional ... advice."
The answer is based on the information that is available, (ie., they
have said what the .biz CAN and CANNOT be used for) without
restricting its use for redirection. Since there is no mention of
redirection, pro or con, it can reasonably be inferred that you can
redirect so long as you are redirecting to a site which meets the
criteria for its use.
Additional Information:
=======================
There is a survey which was run in mid-2002 about who has registered
.biz TLDs. Of interest are those who have registered .biz domains in
direct violation of ICANN's prohibition, such as "buydomains.com" and
are reselling them (also known as "cybersquatters").
I found it significant that only about 25% of the buyers of .biz
domains also own the .com domain. The survey did not break down which
were not used (but held to prevent someone else from buying the .biz
domain), how many had been developed as actual sites and how many
were redirections to the .com site.
The survey entitled "Survey of Usage of the .BIZ TLD, Evaluation of
TLDs", by Jonathan Zittrain and Benjamin Edelman of Berkman Center for
Internet & Society Harvard Law School, can be found here:
- http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/tlds/001/
In light of the above, I should think redirecting a .biz to another
site that meets ICANN's criteria would be the least of worries - but
you can form your own opinion.
Search terms:
==============
- .biz tld restrictions
- .biz tld redirection
Thanks for asking this interesting question which led to the Survey
mentioned above. It was certainly an eye-opener.
Best regards,
Serenata
Google Answers Researcher |
