.gq
{{Short description|Internet country code top-level domain for Equatorial Guinea}}{{Infobox Top level domain
|name=.gq
|background=#CCF
|image=File:DotGQ top-level domain logo.png
|introduced=10 July 1997
|type=Country code top-level domain
|status=Active
|registry=GETESA
|sponsor=GETESA
|intendeduse=Entities connected with {{GEQ}}
|actualuse=Sees relatively rare use, mostly not in Equatorial Guinea.
|restrictions=Free domains available with [http://www.freenom.com/en/gq_contentpolicy_v0100.pdf some restrictions]; paid registrations for legal ownership have no activity requirement
|structure=
|document=[http://www.freenom.com/en/doc_tcfree_freenom_v0110.pdf Registration Agreement (free domains)]
[http://www.freenom.com/en/freenom_paiddomains_tc_v0110.pdf Registration Agreement (paid domains)]
|disputepolicy=UDRP {{small|(paid domains only)}}
|website={{url|http://www.dominio.gq/}}
}}
.gq is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Equatorial Guinea.
The .gq registry allows the creation of emoji domain names.
History
The .gq domain was launched in July 1997 by GETESA, the nation's prominent internet service provider.{{Cite web|url=https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/gq.html|title=IANA — .gq Domain Delegation Data|website=www.iana.org|access-date=2018-11-15}}
In October 2014, domain company Freenom partnered with GETESA to try a business model which involved giving away .gq domain names for free.
Before the public launch, there was a sunrise period to allow trademark holders to register their names. Public domain registration commenced on January 1, 2015.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/freenom-relaunches-the-national-top-level-domain-of-equatorial-guinea-277759191.html|title=Freenom Relaunches The National Top Level Domain Of Equatorial Guinea|last=Freenom|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=2018-11-15}}{{Cite web|url = http://register.freenom.com/registration/registerpaid?domainname=wikipedia&tld=gq|title = REGISTRATION OF A DOMAIN|date = December 11, 2014}}{{Cite web|url = http://www.freenom.com/en/freenom_pressrelease_10012014.pdf|title = FREENOM RELAUNCHES THE NATIONAL TOP LEVEL DOMAIN OF EQUATORIAL GUINEA|date = October 1, 2014}}
Following Freenom's lawsuit with Meta and its settlement in 2024,{{Cite web|url=https://www.freenom.com/en/freenom_pressstatement_02122024_v0100.pdf|website=www.freenom.com|title=freenom Press Statement|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240228190348/https://www.freenom.com/en/freenom_pressstatement_02122024_v0100.pdf|archive-date=2024-02-28|language=en|access-date=2024-10-09}} it is unclear who will take up registration of the domain, as the company announced it would be exiting the domain business.
Abuse
Due to the lack of cost required to obtain a .gq domain, the TLD has been prone to usage for spam, phishing and other malicious purposes.
A study conducted by internet security company Symantec found that 92% of the top 50 .gq websites were being used for "shady" purposes.
Out of all of the websites on a .gq domain that were surveyed by Symantec, a whole 98.94% were being used for malicious purposes.{{Cite news|url=https://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/shady-tlds-gq-not-looking-so-dapper|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619050124/https://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/shady-tlds-gq-not-looking-so-dapper|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 19, 2018|title=Shady TLDs: .GQ Not Looking So Dapper|work=Symantec Security Response|access-date=2018-11-15}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.iana.org/root-whois/gq.htm IANA .gq whois information]
{{CcTLD}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:GQ}}
Category:Country code top-level domains
Category:Communications in Equatorial Guinea
{{compu-domain-stub}}