It is essential for businesses to take steps to protect their digital trademarks and domain names and if this can be done without litigation then that is even better, an expert has advised.
Ramon Ray, from Smallbiztechnology.com, has told Business Insider that not having an effective domain name is the equivalent of having a store front without a sign.
He said that the majority of cases involving domains are solved outside of the court room through the Uniform Domain Name Resolution Policy (UDRP), which is administered by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.
If accepted, complaints are reviewed by a panel of arbitrators with international jurisdiction and a decision will typically be reached within weeks.
Mr. Ray said, “The primary caveat to this remedy is that – unlike litigation – the UDRP does not allow for punitive damages.”
Luke Dale, an intellectual property lawyer at Kelly & Co, recently warned companies about the potential consequences of allowing their domain name to expire.
He told Adelaide Now that this can be a costly and time-consuming mistake which can be highly problematic to business people.