Domain Name Theft: Knowing Where to Turn

Domain name theft is a constant concern and threat for brands. Trademarks & Brands Online reached out to Finnegan attorney, Marina Lewis, for her thoughts. Lewis states that if hacking “does happen then it is a huge problem, because it involves essentially the brand and its online presence being hijacked by another party.” She mentions that the Uniform Domain-Name-Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) is inconsistent in its decisions regarding domain name theft but that she expects authorities to take action, noting that various states in the U.S. now recognize a domain name rights as intellectual property rights. She states, “[w]e are going to see more resources and we’re going to more avenues for recovery for brand owners.”