First of many .xxx UDRP cases filed.
The first two uniform domain name dispute resolution (UDRP) cases for .xxx domain names have been filed. As with any new TLD launch, you can expect many more in the months to come.
The honors for the first case go to VIPINDIRIM for the domain name markafoni.xxx. The case was filed December 29 with the World Intellectual Property forum.
Runner up is a dispute at National Arbitration Forum filed December 30 for HEB.xxx. Although National Arbitration Forum does not disclose the identity of a complainant until the case is settled, HEB is the name of a large grocery store chain based in San Antonio.
Unless the owner of HEB.xxx specifically reached out to the complainant, this might be a difficult case to prove. The domain name doesn’t appear to (at least currently) resolve, so it will be hard to prove that the complainant was the target of the domain registration.
i don’t understand why people buy trademarked domains when they understand about the disputes they are going to face later
*
Interesting.
I wonder if this chain of stores is going after the others who have regged heb in other extensions.
To be honest, I doubt very much if the chain has much of a case, given the difficulty of going after LLL domains, UNLESS the owner is directly making money off ads related to the chain’s brand.
However, I do think that .xxx domains have a huge bullseye smack dab in the middle; companies who basically don’t care about other TLD domains (HEB [dawt] tel, anyone?) will care greatly about having their brand attached to porn.
Even if I didn’t find .xxx so distatsteful, I would still stay away from this TLD, just for self-preservation.
*
I think the attitude is to see what you can get away with. Which is dumb.
But generic acronyms like “HEB” are iffy.
What I find amazing is people selling websites with clear infringement. Such as iphone or ipade domain names.
@ Sleeken – had the owner not reached out to HEB already and made a half way decent argument, I think he would have been able to keep the domain. HEB.xxx on its own isn’t a problem.