TRANSCRIPT
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson interview with Sarah Howells.
ABC Sunshine Coast
8 September 2022
Subject: internet domain name changes
Sarah Howells
If you're a small business, the name of your website can be pretty important. You want to make sure customers know where to find you and which websites to trust for your business. But actually, did you know that website domain names are changing? Now there is not only the .com.au, the .net.au options, but you can also now have a website that just ends in .au so, for instance, it would be www abc au
If you already have a website and you want to own the .au version, you only have until the 20th of September to call dibs. This has caused a bit of concern, particularly for Australian Small Business Ombudsman Bruce Billson. Good morning, Bruce.
Bruce Billson
Sarah, fab to be with you and your Sunshine Coast listeners.
Sarah Howells
So why do people only have until the 20th of September to buy their own domain name? What's happening?
Bruce Billson
That's been a decision by the non-government regulator that looks after domain names in Australia. It's a window where if you have that longer version like you magnificently described in your intro, you have a priority period where you can grab the abridged version, the shortened version of your website domain name and secure that.
After the 20th of this month though, it becomes open for everyone to have a go at. And I know many businesses in the Sunshine Coast region have invested in their websites and their digital identity encapsulated by their domain name. And my concern is (a) they might not know about this change that's happening and (b) haven't thought about taking the necessary steps to protect their digital assets, their identity on the website. And because of that, perhaps risk having someone emulating their website, people maybe buying a domain name that they know is critical to your business and then rocking up saying, look, I'm happy to on sell it for a very handsome profit. Or as cyber security experts have said, this is a little bit of an open door that might make it easier for cyber thieves to get in and mess with your business, mess with your data and cause havoc within your enterprise.
Sarah Howells
Yeah, I saw that Australian cyber security have a notice out about this as well. What is the risk when it comes to security?
Bruce Billson
We know in many areas, and particularly for small businesses Sarah, that a key tactic is to emulate a legitimate website, to make it look like it is someone you've done business with before, is now contacting you and trying to intervene into that relationship. And we've seen this happen in the way of the invoices being hacked, being altered so that a different bank account is inserted and someone says, I owe that business for money. Let's have a look at the BSP and the account number. They pay the bill and then shortly after that, that supplier is saying, well, hang on, you've still got an outstanding account. And it's then that people realise that the invoice had been hacked on the way through.
And that's one of the concerns here, where you can emulate websites more easily if you can get a very similar domain name and then confuse busy, time poor customers and take advantage of that.
Sarah Howells
What are you hearing from small businesses about the change?
Bruce Billson
Well, I'm hearing a lot and none of it particularly pleasant or happy. I got involved about a year ago saying, hang on, this is a big deal and the non-government regulator really needs to run a significant public education campaign to make it known that this change is there and to encourage businesses to take action to protect their interests.
Now, that hasn't happened to the extent that it needed to. What steps have been taken by the non-government regulator have been largely invisible to the small business community. When I've raised it with industry associations and businesses themselves, they're aghast at what's going on. Didn't know about it.
I'd urged that priority period where you could get like-for-like minus the .com or the .net domain names - a priority access for those that have existing domain names - I urged for that to be extended by 12 months. That was rejected. So, I thought the most useful and constructive thing I can do is get on my bike and try and raise awareness myself and make sure small and family businesses aren't disadvantaged by this change.
Sarah Howells
What was the reason for them not extending it by another 12 months?
Bruce Billson
Oh, it was basically look, we've done certain things, we've spoken to the people that sell and resell domain names. They're going to shoot out a little email. You know, it will be sweet. And I'm saying, well, I don't think it will be. And those businesses that are in the in the business of selling domain names, send out a fair amount of advertising material.
Many people recognise that is junk mail and don't take any notice of it. And some of the communications were sort of like, ‘Sarah, guess what? There's something funky coming to Australia. It's a shortened domain name’. Now that's fine. You can have all that excitement that you like.
But what was missing was a ‘and you need to take steps to protect your interests’. The call to action. That hasn't been there.
So, I'm doing what I can to try and raise awareness and urge people to take a few minutes as the shot clock ticks down to the 20th of September to ask themselves some simple questions. Would I be troubled if someone had my domain name minus the .com or minus the .net? Would that upset me? Would that potentially disadvantage me? If so, take a few minutes, spend a few dollars, secure that shortened domain name for you and protect your digital identity in that key channel to your business, to your customers and those that you work with.
Sarah Howells
How many dollars is it? Is it a big increase in cost for small businesses?
Bruce Billson
Look, it varies. I mean, the wholesale price, if I could use that term loosely, is around $8. If you go through other vendors like GoDaddy and those that you may see advertised, it's more about $20. It's not it's not chicken feed, but it's not a king's ransom either. And it is a small price compared to the price you might pay if someone else grabs that domain name, emulates your website, or starts using that as an entry point to cause cyber threats to your business and data risk to your customers.
Sarah Howells
Something that's really important to be aware of and, as you say Bruce, I think a lot of small businesses and people who utilise their website may not know that this deadline is coming on the 20th of September. So, thank you so much for the chat this morning. Really appreciate your time.
Bruce Billson
Great to be with you.