Domain Name Disputes Decline as Internet Matures
October 02, 2003
The wild wild Web is getting tamed. Cyber-squatters no longer freely roam its highways looking for easy marks. And trademark owners who once went after anyone who crossed their path are now choosing their battles much more carefully.
Where's Your Internet Headed?
October 02, 2003
With the ever-increasing frequency of business being conducted over the Internet, the events giving rise to the potential extraterritorial application of law also have increased, drawing attention to an area of law that is anything but clearly delineated. The increased likelihood of law being applied extraterritorially means that businesses should now seriously consider where their Internet business is directed, who it is likely to be reaching and be prepared with at least some minimal knowledge regarding the laws of such jurisdictions.
The Case for Online Dispute Resolution
October 02, 2003
Whenever you have buyers and sellers, you will inevitably have disputes, and the online world is no different. What the online world lacks but needs is an inexpensive, quick, efficient and impartial method of dispute resolution. What we have now is a patchwork system for dealing with these issues and I'm not optimistic that major improvements are coming anytime soon.
Web Activity Enough for Discovery
October 02, 2003
Even if a Web site is both commercial and interactive, a court cannot exercise jurisdiction over its operator unless there is also proof that the company has 'purposefully availed' itself of doing business in that state, a federal appeals court has ruled.
VeriSign Suspends Site Finder Service
October 01, 2003
VeriSign Inc., the leading provider of infrastructure services for the Internet and charged with managing the .com and .net Internet name registries, recently suspended its Site Finder service because the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which oversees the Internet's domain-naming system, ordered it to shut down the service.
International Domain Name Disputes Persist
October 01, 2003
For most businesses, a domain name is now as critical and integral a part of their corporate identity as a trademark. Because these readily accessible addresses for Web sites are easy to remember and use, domain names have become business identifiers and, in some cases, even trademarks themselves, such as Amazon.com. <BR>Although it's been nearly 10 years since domain names became commonplace, the intersection between trademark rights and domain name registration and use is still teeming with potential problems. These difficulties are compounded when considered internationally. While trademark law jurisprudence can extend back several hundred years, the rules for working with domain names are still being written. Companies with their eye on international markets should pay especially close attention to the variety of rules ' or lack thereof ' in these jurisdictions.
Developments of Note
October 01, 2003
Recent developments in e-commerce law and in the e-commerce industry.
