> You are always renting a domain from the registry, subject to the terms and whims of the registry and registrar.
That is usually true today. It wasn't true for Gandi until this change in their terms in 2020. Until then, they did not have the contractual authority to arbitrarily cancel a domain registration. Note the change to their terms at 4(ii).
Slowly, over the years, domain registrars have claimed more and more control over domains.
Domain names have been considered property in a few cases, but it's not settled law.[2]
This led big companies to become registrars themselves. At one time, most of the big names - "google.com", "facebook.com" were registered with Network Solutions, when it was a standalone company or part of Verisign.
Now, the big guys have in-house registrars, for safety. They don't want to trust those Web.com guys in Florida.
Okay, first off, that TOS is about ICANN's websites, in the update called their "platform". It has nothing to do with domains and ICANN is not the registry. I'm not even sure who the "they" you're talking about is. Were you trying to say that somehow changed something relevant to Gandi as opposed to every other registrar?
It was absolutely true for Gandi, just like for everyone else. Domains have always been cancellable for various reasons.
Yes, many registrars are now acting as registries or have in the past (or been part of other companies who were involved in the operation). That changes nothing of what I said.
Even those big guys with their own registrar, are still subject to the whims of the registries (for other TLDs).
That is usually true today. It wasn't true for Gandi until this change in their terms in 2020. Until then, they did not have the contractual authority to arbitrarily cancel a domain registration. Note the change to their terms at 4(ii).
Slowly, over the years, domain registrars have claimed more and more control over domains. Domain names have been considered property in a few cases, but it's not settled law.[2]
This led big companies to become registrars themselves. At one time, most of the big names - "google.com", "facebook.com" were registered with Network Solutions, when it was a standalone company or part of Verisign. Now, the big guys have in-house registrars, for safety. They don't want to trust those Web.com guys in Florida.
[1] https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/terms-of-service...
[2] https://circleid.com/posts/20180628_domain_names_considered_...