View source for .nu

{{Short description|Internet country code top-level domain for the island state of Niue}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox top level domain
| name=.nu
| image=Nudomain.png
| image_size=220
| introduced=20 June 1997
| type=[[Country code top-level domain]]
| status=Active
| registry=[[The Internet Foundation in Sweden]]
| sponsor=Internet Users Society - Niue
| intendeduse=Entities connected with [[Niue]]|
actualuse=Used for a multitude of sites, few with any connection to Niue; especially popular in [[Sweden]], [[Norway]], [[Denmark]], the [[Netherlands]] and [[Belgium]] as the word {{lang|gem|nu}} means "now" in Swedish, Danish, Dutch, and archaic Norwegian
| restrictions=None
| structure=Registrations permitted at second level
| document=[https://internetstiftelsen.se/en/domains/how-to-register-a-domain-name/terms-and-conditions-for-se-and-nu-domains/ Terms and conditions]
| disputepolicy=[[UDRP]]<!--per https://internetstiftelsen.se/en/domains/dispute-resolution/dispute-resolution-for-nu/ -->
| website={{URL|https://internetstiftelsen.se/}}
| dnssec=yes
|registereddomains=227,485
|dateregistereddomains=31 March 2024
|refregistereddomains=<ref>{{Cite web|title=Growth .nu |url=https://internetstiftelsen.se/domaner/domannamnsbranschen/domanstatistik/tillvaxt-se/|access-date=2024-03-31|website=Internetstiftelsen|language=}}</ref>
}}
'''.nu''' is the Internet [[country code top-level domain]] (ccTLD) assigned to the island state of [[Niue]]. It was one of the first ccTLDs to be marketed to the Internet at large as an alternative to the [[gTLD]]s [[.com]], [[.net]], and [[.org]]. 

Playing on the phonetic similarity between ''nu'' and ''new'' in English, and the fact that {{lang|gem|nu}} means "now" in several northern European languages, it was promoted as a new TLD with an abundance of good domain names available. The .nu domain is now controlled by the [[Internet Foundation in Sweden]] amid opposition from the government of Niue.

[[Google]] treats .nu as a [[generic top-level domain]] (gTLD) because "users and website owners frequently see [the domain] as being more generic than country-targeted."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Managing multi-regional and multilingual sites |url=https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/182192 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191005224021/https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/182192 |archive-date=5 October 2019 |access-date=5 Oct 2019}}</ref>

==Administration==
Unlike most ccTLDs, .nu is not administered by a representative of its country.

In 1997, IANA awarded administration of .nu to The IUSN Foundation (formerly 'Internet Users Society - Niue'), a [[Massachusetts]]-based non-profit organisation.<ref name="ABC history">{{cite news |last1=Murray-Atfield |first1=Yara |title=Niue is suing a giant Swedish foundation over a domain name |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-10/tiny-nation-of-niue-wants-to-sue-giant-swedish-foundation/10585120 |access-date=24 April 2020 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)]]}}</ref><ref name="IUSN">{{cite web |title=About |url=http://www.iusn.org/about/ |website=IUSN Foundation |access-date=24 April 2020}}</ref><ref name="Internet Niue">{{cite web |title=The IUSN Foundation |url=http://internetniue.nu/about/the-iusn-foundation/ |website=Internet Niue |access-date=24 April 2020 |archive-date=19 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119195842/http://internetniue.nu/about/the-iusn-foundation/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=History - IUSN |url=http://www.iusn.org/history/ |website=IUSN Foundation |access-date=24 April 2020}}</ref> The administration and technical operation of the domain were transferred to [[The Internet Foundation in Sweden]] (IIS) in September 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iis.se/english/news/se-completes-successful-transition-of-the-nu-domain/|title=.SE completes successful transition of the .nu domain|work=iis.se}}</ref><ref name="ABC history" /> The IIS said that 66.7 percent of "active" .nu domains at the time were registered to Swedish users.<ref name="ABC history" />

The government of Niue has been trying to administer the .nu ccTLD since at least 2003.<ref name="ITU document">{{Cite web|url=https://www.itu.int/itudoc/itu-t/workshop/cctld/cctld057_ww9.doc|title=Niue ccTLD delegation issues|publisher=International Telecommunication Union|date=4 March 2003|access-date=14 December 2023|format=DOC}}</ref><ref name="Geneva statement">{{Cite web|url=https://www.itu.int/net/wsis/geneva/coverage/statements/niue/nu.pdf|title=World Summit on the Information Society|first=John|last=Tiakia|publisher=International Telecommunication Union|date=12 December 2003|access-date=14 December 2023|format=PDF}}</ref> In November 2018, the government of Niue initiated a lawsuit against the IIS in the [[Stockholm District Court]] to obtain control over the domain. It stated that the Foundation had "taken over Niue's .nu domain without consent in 2013", resulting in a significant loss of revenue for the country. Niue's government stated that the .nu domain was a "national asset of Niue" and had been taken over "unfairly", estimating that it had earned between $27 million and $37 million for the IIS.<ref>[https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/377892/niue-launches-legal-action-in-sweden-over-domain-name "Niue launches legal action in Sweden over domain name"], [[Radio New Zealand]], 10 December 2018</ref><ref name="ABC history" /> A later estimate by Niue's legal team stated that the country had missed out on a total of {{US$|150000000|2020}} during the combined time that the domain had been administered by IUSN and the IIS.<ref name="RNZ case closed">{{cite web |title=Niue loses fight for internet domain |date=24 April 2020 |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/415055/niue-loses-fight-for-internet-domain |publisher=[[Radio New Zealand]] |access-date=24 April 2020}}</ref> The IIS responded by saying that "It was and is essential for the Swedish internet infrastructure that .nu works in a stable and secure way", and that it had "done the necessary investigations before deciding to become the registry in 2013, involving several leading legal specialists and a direct contact with the relevant governmental institutions".<ref name="ABC history" />

The government of Niue continues the legal discussion on two fronts: directly with [[ICANN]] to get the domain name back, and with the Swedish government to reclaim the lost profits.<ref name="ci">{{Cite web |date=2020-12-16 |title=The Government of Niue Launches Proceedings With ICANN to Reclaim Its .nu Top-Level Domain |url=https://circleid.com/posts/20201216-government-of-niue-launches-proceedings-to-reclaim-its-domain |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=CircleID |language=en}}</ref> [[Toke Talagi]], the [[Premier of Niue]] from 2008 to 2020, called it a form of [[neo-colonialism]].

While Niue lost its case in the lower court of [[Södertörn District Court|Södertörns Tingsrätt]], they appealed, and the court date for the appeal has been set to 19 and 20 May 2025 in [[Svea Hovrätt]].{{Update inline|date=October 2025}}

==Usage of .nu==
The .nu domain is particularly popular in [[Sweden]], [[Denmark]], and the [[Benelux]] region, as {{lang|gem|nu}} is the word for "now" in [[Swedish language|Swedish]], [[Danish language|Danish]] and [[Dutch language|Dutch]]<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.omegawiki.org/Expression:nu |title= nu | work = [[OmegaWiki]] |date=2006-07-22 |access-date= 2009-09-30}}</ref> – an example of a [[domain hack]]. Although {{lang|no|nu}} in [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] is an archaic word for "now", with {{lang|no|nå}} being used instead,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Det Norske Akademis ordbok|url=https://naob.no/ordbok/n%C3%A5_2|access-date=2020-08-21|website=naob.no}}</ref> .nu was initially more popular than .no, with 43,000 .nu addresses being registered in [[Norway]] in 1999 compared to 30,000 .no ones.<ref>{{Citation | place = [[Norway|NO]] | url = https://itavisen.no/1999/08/11/nu-storre-enn-no/ | title = .nu større enn .no | work = IT Avisen | date = 11 August 1999}}.</ref> Partially owing to restrictive domain rules for the [[ccTLD]] assigned to Sweden, [[.se]], .nu was used for creative marketing of websites such as ''www.tv.nu'' to show what is currently showing on TV, and in the Netherlands for websites like ''waarbenjij.nu'' ({{lit|whereareyou.now}}).

A former political party in Israel, [[Kulanu]], used the domain ''www.koola.nu''<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.koola.nu/ |title=Koola.nu |access-date=2022-04-30 |archive-date= 2016-06-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614204442/http://www.koola.nu/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> until its dissolution in 2020.

==Internationalised domains==
In March 2000, .NU Domain Ltd became the first TLD to offer registration of [[Internationalized domain name]]s,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/.NU+Domain+Ltd+Challenges+.Com+With+Announcment+of+First+Non-English...-a059999488 |title=NU Domain Ltd Challenges .Com With Announcement of First Non-English Internet Addresses; Microsoft endorses NUBIND as compatible with Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0, and Windows 2000 |publisher=Thefreelibrary.com |date=2000-03-07 |access-date=2009-09-30 |archive-date=2011-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520141613/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/.NU+Domain+Ltd+Challenges+.Com+With+Announcment+of+First+Non-English...-a059999488 |url-status=dead }}</ref> supporting the full [[Unicode]] character set.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nunames.nu/Local-Language.cfm |title=IDN details |publisher=Nunames.nu |access-date=2009-09-30 |archive-date=2010-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209080140/http://www.nunames.nu/Local-Language.cfm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Unlike other TLDs, no browser plugin or [[punycode]] capable browser was required on the client side for use of these names, as .NU Domain's web servers converted and redirected any web queries issued in a variety of international character encodings. However, in March 2010, .NU Domain announced at ICANN that they had recently disabled their general wildcard domain name resolution technology, and thus were implementing IDNs only by the now standard punycode implementation, and were reducing the accepted set of IDN characters for .NU Domain names to a subset of the [[ISO/IEC 8859-1|ISO-8859-1]] western European characters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=560219 |title=Mozilla - add .nu to IDN whitelist |publisher=Mozilla|date=2010-04-19}}</ref>

==Domain revocation policy==
.NU domain names are revoked without refund for displaying images of [[child pornography]], being involved with [[phishing]], [[spamming]], email theft, search engine abuse, or any unlawful purpose.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nunames.nu/about/terms.cfm |title=NU Domain Terms and Conditions, section 12, "Acceptable Use" |publisher=Nunames.nu |access-date=2009-09-30 |archive-date=2010-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209065647/http://www.nunames.nu/about/terms.cfm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In February 2012, [[library.nu]], a site listing links to scanned books, a substantial number of which are claimed to be pirated copyrighted material, went offline after a coalition of the world's largest book publishers obtained an injunction against the site. A few days later the site also had its domain name revoked by domain registrar Nunames. The domain revocation was recorded in screenshots taken at the time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://torrentfreak.com/domain-registrar-profits-from-revoked-library-nu-domain-120224/ |title=Domain Registrar Profits From Revoked Library.nu Domain |publisher=torrentfreak.com |date= 2012-02-24|access-date=2012-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227052658/http://torrentfreak.com/domain-registrar-profits-from-revoked-library-nu-domain-120224/ |archive-date=2012-02-27 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Litigation==
A 2005 [[UDRP]] case regarding '''nudomain.com'''<ref>See the [http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2005/d2005-0480.html WIPO Administrative Panel Decision]</ref> made the assertion under "Factual background" that "The Complainants [WorldNames, Inc. and NU Domain Ltd] own and operate the .NU ccTLD". The companies in question are operating the registry for '''.nu''' on behalf of the Internet Users Society, but it is incorrect to state that they "own" the TLD, as TLDs in general are delegated and managed rather than "owned".<ref>[http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/6834B3C37BAF205FCC2572A7000ECB00 Computerworld NZ: Niue struggles against 'digital colonialism'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911170139/http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/6834B3C37BAF205FCC2572A7000ECB00 |date=2007-09-11 }}, 27 March 2007</ref><ref name="RNZI_36393">{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=36393 |title=Niue government criticised over internet stance |date=13 November 2007 |work=[[Radio New Zealand International]] |access-date=18 September 2011}}</ref> The case does, however, point out that these companies own a registered trademark to ".nudomain" in several countries.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite journal |last1=Steinberg |first1=Philip E. |last2=Mcdowell |first2=Stephen D. |title=Mutiny on the bandwidth: the semiotics of statehood in the internet domain name registries of Pitcairn Island and Niue |journal=New Media & Society |date=1 March 2003 |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=47–67 |doi=10.1177/1461444803005001907 |s2cid=206725973 |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1461444803005001907|url-access=subscription }}

==External links==
* [https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/nu.html IANA WHOIS record for .nu]
* [http://www.iis.se/ .nu Domain Registry]
* [http://iusn.org/ IUSN Foundation]
* [http://wifination.nu/ IUSN's WiFi Nation]
* [http://internetniue.nu/ Internet Niue] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140926211201/http://internetniue.nu/ |date=2014-09-26 }}
* [https://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/01/15/niue_is_dead_long_live/ Niue is dead. Long live .nu!], [[The Register]]
* [http://www.gov.nu Official website of the government of Niue]

{{Niue topics}}
{{CcTLD}}
<!-- Why particularly Sweden and not BE, NL and DK (as mentioned in the article)? (good question!) -->
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nu}}
[[Category:Country code top-level domains]]
[[Category:Communications in Niue]]