Sell a trademark as a keyword for directed search or online auctions and make $billions. But use a trademark in a domain name for direct search and lose the domain, or worse. The gap between how trademark law treats the two species of search has grown wider in the wake of several landmark 2010 trademark law decisions – and provides …
None-Of-Your-Business-dot-Privacy
The Wall Street Journal’s (online.wsj.com ) July 31st issue carries a front page story, with extensive sidebars, titled “The Web’s New Gold Mine: Your Secrets”. It’s the first of an eye-opening series. If the remaining installements are as revelatory as this opening salvo, it will likely stoke the growing calls on Capitol Hill for federal online privacy legislation. Domainers need to pay …
ICA ON The Record At ICANN-Brussels
The recent ICANN Meeting held in Brussels was marked by heavy attendance and an even heavier issues agenda. Every ICANN meeting includes a Public Forum in which attendees and other interested parties may direct questions and comments to ICANN’s Board of Directors. ICA Counsel Philip Corwin used his two minutes at the microphone (plus a few additional seconds) to raise …
ICANN’s Proposed EOI Likely to Limit the Number of New gTLDs
Thinking about applying for a new generic top level domain? Then ante up $55,000 for the right to file an application. That’s the heart of a tentative proposal for an Expressions of Interest (EOI) procedure for new gTLDs released on December 18th by ICANN for public comment by January 27, 2010 (see http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-18dec09-en.htm). In a nutshell, the proposal is: • …
ICA Implores ICANN to Halt CAC’s Proposed Perversion of UDRP Provider Supplemental Rules
Following up on its November 30th letter to Chairman Thrush and President Beckstrom, on December 11th the ICA filed a formal comment requesting that ICANN block the CAC’s blatant attempt to encourage forum shopping and reverse domain hijacking by enticing complainants with a faster and cheaper UDRP that gives short shrift to registrant rights. ICA’s statement can be found at …
ICA Asks ICANN To Enjoin the WIPO and CAC Expedited UDRP Proposals
You’ve heard about the URS, but what about the URT – Universal Rapid Transfer? WIPO and CAC have proposed to implement separate versions of URT by unilateral revision of their supplemental UDRP rules. In response, ICA has just asked ICANN to halt these fast track plans in their tracks pending full policy review by the GNSO and ICANN Board. Domainers …
ICA Files Comments on Version 3 of New gTLD Draft Applicant Guidebook
Sunday, November 22nd, was the filing deadline for comments on the third version of the Draft Applicant Guidebook (DAG) for new gTLDs, so ICA and many others dutifully submitted further input on this latest iteration of the proposed rules of this new game. IT seems that the opening date for acceptance of applications for new gTLDs recedes further rather than …
Registrant UDRP Rights – On A Fast Track To Dilution?
Just as we were completing our analysis and preparing a response to WIPO’s announcement that it intends to propose a fast track version of the UDRP before year’s end and implement that expedited procedure in the first quarter of 2010, comes an announcement from ICANN that the Czech Arbitration Court (CAC) has proposed its own version of fast track UDRP …
ICA Giving Intense Scrutiny to WIPO “Fast Track” UDRP Proposal
On Monday, November 3rd it became public knowledge that WIPO intends to propose a “fast track” UDRP process before the end of 2009. Following a 30-day public comment period, WIPO expects to implement the new process in the first quarter of 2010. While early details are sketchy, the information available indicates that the filing fees for this process will be …
ICA on the Record at ICANN-Seoul
ICA Counsel Philip Corwin attended the final ICANN meeting of 2009 held in Seoul, South Korea from October 24-30 to represent and speak for the interests of ICA members. On Thursday, October 29th the ICANN Board conducted its regular Public Forum, at which meeting participants can address their questions and concerns directly to Board members. Mr. Corwin used this opportunity …