Cybersquatting Attorneys: Recent Cybersquatting Cases and Issues across the World Wide Web

Traverse Legal’s lawyers constantly monitor the latest information on the World Wide Web concerning cybersquatting cases and issues. Here is this week's round-up:

Chineese Domain Scam
By admin
As authorized anti-cybersquatting organization we hereby suspect the alleged Meiao Co.,Ltd to be a domain grabber. Hence we need you confirmation for two things, First of all, whether this alleged Meiao Co.,Ltd is your business partner ...

typosquatting
By renamecor
Is it still classed as cybersquatting if you are actually sending them the visitors via an affiliate link / code ? Basically doing what they should have already done (ie bought the typo url). Now I understand that most affiliate ...

Domain Names and Trademarks - Legal Issues
Search Engine Roundtable - USA
Both enacted in 1999 to deal with cybersquatting. UDRP is like biding arbitration. Less formal. No hearing. ACPA on the other hand is more involved, ...

New gTLD Applicant Guidebook Released: A Domain Name Owner's Guide to Applying for and Being Awarded a New Domain Name Extension

ICANN held a public meeting in Cairo earlier this month.  One of the main topics, as the video shows, discussed was the release of the new gTLDs.  The discussions centered around the release of the Applicant Guidebook, which is a publication for entities considering applying for a new generic top-level domain name.  Several discussions and meetings centered upon the new generic top-level domain names, the process for applying, and other information that can be found at ICANN’s new webpage dedicated to new gTLD’s here.

Trademark owners interested in acquiring a new gTLD should review the Applicant Guidebook, provide comments, and determine whether or not it is something they would like to pursue.  All trademark owners should be aware of the process and understand that their trademarks must be protected as new gTLDs, and the domain names that utilize those new gTLDs, are released.  Objection opportunities exist before a gTLD is approved.  In fact, the Guidebook states:

NAF Panel Finds Cybersquatting against Navigation Catalyst Systems - Orders Transfer of 41 Domains

Our domain name dispute and cybersquatting lawyers were able to obtain 41 domains registered by Navigation Catalyst Systems which were clearly cybersquatting on the famous weatherunderground.com and wunderground.com weather websites.  Weather Underground is one of the most popular weather tools in the world with an Alexa traffic rank of 570.

This is merely one of many proceedings that Navigation Catalyst has been involved in recently involving allegations of trademark cybersquatting.  You can read the decision below.

What If the Registrar Refuses to Transfer the Domain Name to Your Control after a Successful Transfer Order is issued by a UDRP Panelist?

It does not happen very often but there are instances where a trademark holder successfully brings and complaint under the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP)-achieving a panel finding of bad faith cybersquatting- and yet still has trouble securing their domain.  After a transfer order is issued, the registrar typically has ten day to work with the trademark holder to transfer the subject domain to the trademark holder’s control.  If the registrar being used by the cybersquatting in the first instance fails to transfer the domain, the next step is to work with ICANN who can enforce the registrar’s contractual obligations to fully comply with the provisions of the UDRP.  ICANN recently issued a draft advisory regarding registrar best practices to protect registrants upon initiation of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy complaint at its contractual compliance web page found here.