Tag Archives: gTLD

INTA.sucks: Brand Prophylaxis or Trademark “Protection” Racket?

CaptureI’m back from the International Trademark Association (INTA) Annual Meeting in beautiful (if a bit cloudy and windy) San Diego, which featured the usual array of client meetings, networking with counsel from around the world, and seeing the sights.  The convention center area, the USS Midway, and the street of the Gas Lamp Quarter were temporarily overrun with the nearly 10,000 trademark (with a smattering of patent) professionals proudly displaying their INTA badges and ribbons.… More

The Next New gTLD Just .Sucks for Brand Owners

.sucks

Hot on the trails of .porn and .adult, a new gTLD enters the fray next week — one that’s already giving PR departments heartburn.  The .sucks domain launches for sunrise registrations on March 30, 2015, and with it yet another potentially costly headache for brand owners.

What Is .Sucks?

The .sucks gTLD is similar to .xxx, .porn, and .adult, in that companies are rightfully concerned that their names and trademarks may be associated with domains and websites that could harm those brands or otherwise generate ill will. … More

.PORN and .ADULT Join .XXX to Form Unsexy Threesome for Brand Owners

Porn

Yesterday marked the sunrise launch of the .porn and .adult generic top-level domains (gTLDs), which join .xxx in the top-level domain name space as gTLDs targeted mainly at online purveyors of adult entertainment.  As with .xxx, the introduction of these adult-themed gTLDs presents yet another annoyance for trademark owners already fatigued by the weekly onslaught of gTLDs introduced over the past couple of years pursuant to ICANN’s expansion of the domain name space. … More

Is .XYZ The Next .COM? You Might Be Surprised.

ICANNMost of our readers are now familiar with ICANN’s new generic top-level domain (gTLD) program, which saw over 1,900 applications from various entities seeking to operate new top-level domain name registries.  Most of these applications were for true gTLDs such as .web, .law, .book, and .family.  But about a third of the applications, referred to as “.Brand TLDs,” consisted of trademarks (many famous and well-known marks),… More

Foley Hoag to Host Upcoming INTA Roundtable: gTLDs: Status, Process and How is It Working?

We have covered ICANN’s New gTLD Program at great length on this blog.  If you’d like to discuss the new gTLDs and the myriad issues presented by their introduction face-to-face, Foley Hoag is hosting a roundtable luncheon, presented by the International Trademark Association (INTA), on April 4, 2012 from 12:00PM to 2:00PM at our Boston office.

Topics to be discussed include:

  • Current gTLDs and anticipated changes.…
  • More

New gTLD Hearing, Round 2: A Critical House, But to What End?

After the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing on ICANN’s new gTLD Program on December 8, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a similar hearing this morning. Returning witnesses were Dan Jaffe, Executive Vice President of the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), Fiona Alexander, Associate Administrator of the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA),… More

The Domain Name Deluge: What In-House Counsel Need to Know About ICANN’s New gTLD Program

On Monday, December 12 at 12:30 p.m. EST, the Northeast Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel presents The Domain Name Deluge: What In-House Counsel Need to Know About ICANN’s New gTLD Program.  J. Scott Evans, Senior Legal Director, Global Brand & Trademarks, YAHOO! Inc. will join me to explore ICANN’s upcoming introduction of new top-level domain names, including a discussion of domain name basics,… More