This February, the International Ad Hoc Committee came up with a solution to the customer service troubles besetting the Internet's Domain Name System. Too bad the plan may only create more problems.The IAHCproposal would add seven top-level domains - .firm, .store, .web, .arts, .rec, .info, and .nom. And, in an attempt to break the InterNIC monopoly on registering second-level domain names, up to 28 new registries would be introduced.
The rules accompanying these changes, however, would "turn trademark law on its head," says Kathryn Kleiman, general counsel for the Domain Name Rights Coalition. Domains that contain trademarked words could still be shut down, even if existing law holds that no infringement exists. In addition, the newly formed Council of Registrars, a nonprofit group established under Swiss law, would have godlike powers over the Internet's directories and would be effectively immune from lawsuits.
That's good news for trademark holders, but bad news for people actually trying to do business on the Internet. Expect to see the proposal adopted by the Internet community - unless protests are filed first.
ELECTRIC WORD
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