IP owners face growing domain name danger

[Beasty]

"IP owners face growing domain name danger" according to Managing Intellectual Property.

MIP says that WIPO received more complaints (1,823) than in any of the previous 5 years. The articles goes on -

"WIPO said the effects of the use of computer software to register expired domain names automatically and redirect them to pay-per-click portal sites, the option to register names for free for a five-day so-called tasting period, the proliferation of new registrars and the establishment of new domains has created greater opportunities for the mass, often anonymous, registration of domain names without specific consideration of third-party IP rights.

"Recent developments in the domain name registration system have fostered practices which threaten the interests of trade mark owners and cause consumer confusion," said Francis Gurry, WIPO deputy director general.

"Practices such as domain name tasting risk turning the domain name system into a mostly speculative market."

And he said that the speed at which domain names change hands and the difficulty of tracking such mass automated registrations have created new challenges for trade mark owners wanting to pursue cybersquatters.

"With domain names becoming moving targets for rights holders, due consideration should be given to concrete policy responses," he added."

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I'd love to see the stats for DRS - since if that too has risen then the domain tasting aspect can be discounted. Further , if a domain has expired, why is there an assumption that the regsitrant is a cybersquatter?

An alternative explanation may be lawyers chasing fees for more of these cases...

Anyway, the suggestion from the guy at WIPO that UDRP needs to be changed (for which I suggest you read "made more IP rights holder friendly") is the bit that alarmed me most.

 

[retired_member27]

I would call it evolution, and the lawyers are finding it increasingly hard to keep up.

 

[traffic1]

doesnt seem like rocket science to me ..

many many more names registered now (not even counting the millions regged and dropped daily by the .com guys traffic fishing)

growing reliance online - more money spent advertising , buying , inevitable focus is pushed onto it..

not surprising more disputes