It’s no joke: Google wants to run .lol Web domain

It’s no joke, although it might appear to be. Google has acquired a host of generic top-level domains (TLDs), including – wait for it – .lol. Yes, Google may soon be running a site named DailyJokes.lol. Seriously, no LOL involved.

Generic top-level domains, or gTLDs, were first approved last year, with applications opening up in mid-January. These can be customized to be anything an applicant wants, including .lol.

When the gTLDs were first approved, it was expected that the initial round of applications would including branding-based ones, such as .apple, .google or .microsoft, and indeed, Google submitted an application for .google, as well.

.google, and .youtube, which Vint Cerf, Google’s Chief Internet Evangelist confirmed was also applied for, were submitted as Google wants to protect its trademarks. Google also applied for .docs and other gTLDs, to protect its core business (in this case, Google Docs). Each of these applications cost the company $185,000.