Cybersquatting Fears Expressed Over New 'Adult' Domain

by Glen Shapiro, LawAndTax-News.com, New York

07 July 2005

Critics of the proposed new top-level domain names currently being considered by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) have argued that companies, organisations and celebrities are likely to be forced to buy domain names that they don't necessarily want in order to protect their brand.

Fears have been raised in particular with regard to the planned '.xxx' domain, which has been put forward as a way of segregating adult sites on the internet, thereby preventing children from accidentally accessing pornographic content.

Some observers have suggested that in addition to its more salutory implications, the authorisation by ICANN of such a domain name would create a new headache for businesses, which would need to register their trademark with the new designation in order to prevent embarrassment.

The potential for such additional cost has been noted by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, which recently recommended the implementation of a "uniform intellectual property protection mechanism" in order to protect the trademarks and IP of businesses and individuals.

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