WIPO Works to Wipe Out Domain Squatters

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) handled a record number of cybersquatting complains in 2007...and most contested domains got transferred to name holders.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) handled a record number of so-called “cybersquatting” complaints in 2007: 2,156 in all, of which about a quarter were settled without the WIPO panel having to get involved, and almost 1,400 of the remaining cases were resolved with the domains being transferred to the complainant whose copyright or trademark was being infringed.

Cybersquatting is the practice of registering Internet domain names that include copyrighted terms or trademarks belonging to other companies: cybersquatting targets include everything from prescription mediations and airlines to movies, celebrities, television shows, non-profits, and even universities. “Pharmaceutical manufacturers remained the top filers due to numerous permutations of protected names registered for Web sites offering or linking to online sales of medications and drugs,” the WIPO said. Many infringing domains are registered in order to promulgate pay-per-click schemes, siphon off Internet traffic from authorized sites, and in sme cases engage in illegal activity like malware distribution.

The number of complaints processed in 2007 is an 18 percent increase from 2006, and a 48 percent increase compared to 2005. “These increases confirm that cybersquatting remains a significant issue for rights holders,” said WIPO deputy director Francis Gurry, in a statement.

Most complainants were located in the U.S., Britain, and France, while most respondents were based in the U.S., Britain, and China.