.LONDON launch – brand owners set for new domain squatting risks
Matt Sammon, specialist in internet trademark matters and partner at patent and trade mark attorney firm Marks & Clerk, comments on the risks of new domain names
London, 28 April 2014 – The first websites hosted on the new .london domain are due to go live tomorrow (Tuesday 29th April). The new web addresses from part of the new generic top-level domain (gTLD) programme run by the global internet body ICANN. The new gTLDs available to companies and the wider public include English words such as .equipment and .tips, foreign language words such as .集团 (Chinese for “group”) and .بازار (Arabic for “bazaar”) and brand names such as .neustar and . 삼성 (Korean for Samsung).
The .london domain name will be administered by a subsidiary of London & Partners, the official promotional organisation for London.
Matt Sammon, specialist in internet trademark matters and partner at patent and trade mark attorney firm Marks & Clerk, comments:
“.london and all the other new domain names present great branding opportunities, but also great branding risks to businesses, whether based in the capital or not. It will allow businesses to associate their name with an iconic city brand, but will also give room to domain name squatters to take advantage by buying up .london addresses using other companies’ names.
“Avenues exist for businesses to defend their trademarks without having to actually buy a web address. Whether or not a business is based in London, it can pre-empt abusive registrations under the .london domain or any other of the new domains by registering its details with ICANN’s Trademark Clearinghouse.
“We may see the .london domain name also used by brands not necessarily associated with London, but keen to create a regional website address: www.tesco.london, for example. Registered trade mark holders, London businesses and individuals will have priority over .london web addresses until September, at which point all interested parties will be given equal access to available .london addresses.”
Richard Holme
Marks & Clerk
T: +44 (0) 20 7420 0104
About Marks & Clerk
Marks & Clerk is recognised as one of the world’s leading intellectual property firms. The firm’s patent and trade mark attorneys together with associated firm of solicitors offer clients a comprehensive range of intellectual property services – covering patents, trademarks, designs and copyright. This includes obtaining protection worldwide, portfolio management, strategic advice, commercial advice, licensing, enforcement, due diligence and litigation. Marks & Clerk has expertise in a whole range of commercial sectors and technologies.
With a network of 17 offices across the UK (eight locations), Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, and long-established relationships with other leading IP firms worldwide, the firm is able to meet clients’ IP requirements on a local and global basis.
