Conflicts over Domain Names

Conflicts over Domain Names

The study explores legal implications posed by the growth of establishing websites and registration of domain names. The researcher introduces his paper by providing readers with a primary introduction to domain names, their definitions, the Domain Name System (DNS), types of domain names either generic; Top level domains (gTLDS) or country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDS), domain names registration procedures and registration authorities (registrars, registry operators). The researcher also compares trademarks and domain names, mention different types of disputes that occur over domain names including cyber squatting, typo squatting, cyber-smearing and reverse domain name hijacking. The paper includes technical and practical legal measures that may help in resolving the conflict over domain names. It concentrates particularly on the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) that has been implemented from 1999, by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), and the approved dispute resolution providers, namely but not limited to: WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (WAMC), National Arbitration Forum (NAF). The paper is concluded by certain suggestions that once implemented, trademarks and unfair competition laws in the Arab world would be developed, serving to increase our understanding of domain names disputes and e-commerce, cyberspace laws.

Article written in Arabic.