Changes

The [[String Similarity Panel]] decided in February 2013 that the strings [[.hotel]] and [[.hotels]] would not be confusing to Internet users. Furthermore, an Objection case submitted by the applicant of [[.car]] against [[.cars]] was decided in favor of [[.cars]], as the panelist decided the strings were not confusingly similar. These two cases were initially thought to set the precedent for further decisions that plural versions of strings are not confusingly similar to their singular counterparts. However, an [[ICDR]] panelist decided that [[.pets]] and [[.pet]] are confusingly similar, and he determined the case in favor of [[Google]], the [[.pet]] applicant. [[ICANN]] has yet to respond to or reconcile these conflicting decisions.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/14224-google-beats-donuts-in-objection-pet-and-pets-are-confusingly-similar Google beats Donuts in Objection - .pet and .pets are confusingly similar, DomainIncite] Retrieved 13 Dec 2013</ref>

The [[String Similarity Panel]] decided in February 2013 that the strings [[.hotel]] and [[.hotels]] would not be confusing to Internet users. Furthermore, an Objection case submitted by the applicant of [[.car]] against [[.cars]] was decided in favor of [[.cars]], as the panelist decided the strings were not confusingly similar. These two cases were initially thought to set the precedent for further decisions that plural versions of strings are not confusingly similar to their singular counterparts. However, an [[ICDR]] panelist decided that [[.pets]] and [[.pet]] are confusingly similar, and he determined the case in favor of [[Google]], the [[.pet]] applicant. [[ICANN]] has yet to respond to or reconcile these conflicting decisions.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/14224-google-beats-donuts-in-objection-pet-and-pets-are-confusingly-similar Google beats Donuts in Objection - .pet and .pets are confusingly similar, DomainIncite] Retrieved 13 Dec 2013</ref>

====Conflicting Decisions on a single string====

====Conflicting decisions on a single string====

Another situation that created controversy was also a situated that had not seem to be taken into account ahead of time by [[ICANN]]. In one case, [[Verisign]] submitted separate objections to all three applicants for the [[.cam]] string, saying it was confusingly similar to their [[.com]]. The company lost two of its objections but one a thr

Another situation that created controversy was also a situated that had not seem to be taken into account ahead of time by [[ICANN]]. In one case, [[Verisign]] submitted separate objections to all three applicants for the [[.cam]] string, saying it was confusingly similar to their [[.com]]. The company lost two of its objections but won a third against [[Demand Media]]. In a similar case, Google objected to all three applicants for [[.cars]], but only prevailed against one applicant.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/14239-string-confusion-in-disarray-as-demands-cam-loses-against-verisigns-com String Confusion in Disarray as Demand's .cam loses against Verisign's .com, DomainIncite] Retrieved 13 Dec 2013</ref>

==Public Comments vs. Formal Objections==

==Public Comments vs. Formal Objections==