.ga
{{Short description|Internet country code top-level domain for Gabon}}{{Infobox Top level domain|
name=.ga|
background=#CCF|
image=DotGa domain logo.png|
introduced=12 December 1994|
type=Country code top-level domain|
status=Active|
registry=ANINF|
sponsor=ANINF|
intendeduse=Entities connected with {{GAB}}|
actualuse=Sees some use in Gabon and relatively rare use as a general-purpose domain|
restrictions=Must have presence in Gabon or justify any other direct or indirect link with Gabon. Geographical names and names associated with public/government entities prohibited.|
structure=Registrations are available directly at second level|
document=[http://aninf.netisse.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/CHARTE-DE-NOMMAGE-GA_V1.pdf Naming Charter (French)]
[https://www.mon.ga/politique_de_registre.pdf Policies (French)]|
disputepolicy=UDRP|
website=[https://www.mon.ga/index.html mon.ga]}}
.ga is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Gabon.
History
Between 1998 and 2004 it was administered by the Office des Postes et Télécommunications de la République Gabonaise and then transferred to Gabon Telecom. Gabon Telecom in 2013 formed a partnership with international domain registrar Freenom to offer registrations of this domain for free.{{cite web|url=http://www.freenom.com/en/freeandpaiddomains.html|title=Free and paid domains|access-date=19 September 2016}}
Since 2013, the [http://aninf.ga/ Agence Nationale des Infrastructures Numériques et des Fréquences] (ANINF) of Gabon is responsible for the .ga domain.{{Cite web |title=Report on the Redelegation of the .GA domain representing Gabon to Agence Nationale des Infrastructures Numériques et des Fréquences |url=https://www.iana.org/reports/2013/ga-report-20130329.html |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=www.iana.org}}
In 2023, ANINF terminated their contract with Freenom because it found Freenom's service unsatisfactory. ANINF stated that upwards of seven million .ga domains would be deleted, as "the previous operator has not provided the data that concern them."
The migration was carried out from 4 June to 7 June 2023. With this migration, free domain registration was removed.{{Cite web |title=Migration of the .ga top-level domain |url=https://www.mon.ga/english.html |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=www.mon.ga}}
The technical operation is handled by AFNIC and domains are sold through accredited registrars.{{Cite web|url=https://www.afnic.fr/wp-media/uploads/2023/05/ga-domain-names-soon-to-return-to-Gabonese-management-1.pdf|title=.ga domain names soon to return to Gabonese management|date=30 May 2023|access-date=2 June 2023}}
= Kim Dotcom controversy =
Kim Dotcom attempted to use me.ga as an alternative domain for the Megaupload service. It was suspended by Communications Minister Blaise Louembe who stated{{Cite web |title=Gabon to suspend new Megaupload site |url=https://phys.org/news/2012-11-gabon-megaupload-site.html |access-date=2022-11-03 |website=phys.org |language=en}}
"Gabon cannot serve as a platform or screen for committing acts aimed at violating copyrights, nor be used by unscrupulous people."
Second-level domain names
Second-level domain names that end in .ga are:{{Cite web |title=.ga naming charter |url=http://aninf.netisse.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/CHARTE-DE-NOMMAGE-GA_V1.pdf |access-date=2023-06-20}}
| class="wikitable"
!Domain !Intended purpose |
| .gouv.ga
|Government |
| .co.ga
|Commercial organizations |
| .edu.ga
| rowspan="2" |Universities and other educational institutes |
| .univ.ga |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/ga.html IANA .ga whois information]
{{CcTLD}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:GA}}
Category:Country code top-level domains