Category: National Arbitration Forum

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Disputes National Arbitration Forum News Technology

Google takes control of the domain GooglePlay.com [UPDATED]

GooglePlay.com

Back in early March, Google filed a complaint (Case No. 1432449) over the domain name GooglePlay.com with the National Arbitration Forum.

The complaint came shortly after the launch of its new entertainment hub Google Play.

Despite a ruling not yet being published, part of the Whois information for the name was updated this week and now reflects Google Inc. as the registrant.

Google registered several googleplay domain names in late February through the brand protection company MarkMonitor, but wasn’t able to get its hands on GooglePlay.com at the time since it was already registered.

At the time of this story, GooglePlay.com still doesn’t direct users to the official Google Play website.

Because a decision hasn’t been posted online, it’s unknown whether the owner decided to give up the name or the name was ordered transferred by a panel.  If a decision is posted, it’ll likely be available here.

[Update 1 on May 18, 2012:. The Whois record has now been fully updated and reflects Google as the owner, however the domain still doesn’t resolve to the Google Play website.]

Talking about this story: Android Police, 9to5Google and Marketing Land

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Disputes National Arbitration Forum News Video Games

Microsoft wins another case against a fake Halo 4 beta website [UPDATED]

Halo 4 Beta

As buzz picks up about Halo 4, Microsoft has won another domain dispute (Claim Number: FA1203001432610) this past week against a fake Halo 4 beta website, this time Halo4Beta.biz.

On April 11, 2012, a single member panel with the National Arbitration Forum ordered that the Halo4Beta.biz domain name be transferred to Microsoft Corporation after having established all three elements required under the ICANN policy.

The three elements included:

(1) the domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark in which the complainant has rights
(2) the owner has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name and;
(3) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.

Some of the highlights noted in the decision included that the respondent in the case, “Gerardo Torres / JerryG”, generated revenue from affiliate fees collected when each internet user signed up to receive one of the offers and that the domain was registered less than 10 days after Microsoft officially introduced Halo 4 through a global press release.

In early March, Microsoft Corporation won the rights to Halo4Beta.net, the first Halo 4 beta website to gain notoriety for tricking users into getting a bogus beta code.

343 Industries announced in March that it had no plans for a Halo 4 beta, but scam artists have still been able to cash in.

The full details of the ruling have been released and can be read online here.

Updated May 8, 2012:. Microsoft has taken official control of the domain name Halo4beta.biz (Whois) and now redirects visitors to Bing.

Talking about this story: VG247 and Gameranx

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Disputes National Arbitration Forum News

Google files complaint over hundreds of domains with “Google” in the name

Googleplex

Googleplex

Google Inc. has filed one complaint (Case No. 1434643) with the National Arbitration Forum that encompasses well over 700 domains with the word “Google” in the name like GoogleBills.com and GoogleSony.com.

Google filed the Uniform Domain Name Resolution Policy (UDRP) complaint this week against one person: Chris Gillespie.

According to UDRP rules, if more than one domain name held by the same Respondent is in dispute, all may be included in one complaint. Rule 3(b)(vi).

In order for the National Arbitration Forum panel reviewing the case to issue a decision in Google’s favor, the panel will determine if the disputed domains meet the following three elements required under the ICANN policy, which are:

(1) the domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark in which the complainant has rights
(2) the owner has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name and;
(3) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith. 

The Google domains being disputed are all over the board and many use Go Daddy’s CashParking, a service that lets domain owners earn money on parked domains.

Here’s a sample of the names:

google10g.com, googlejcp.com, google3dblueray.com, googlejerry.com, google3dtv.info, googlejesuschrist.com, google49ers.com, googlejinan.com, google4glte.com, googlejnj.com, google5hourenergy.com, googlejohnsonandjohnson.com, google6g.com, googlejpmorgan.com, google7g.com, googlejpmorganchase.com, google8g.com, googlejrs.com, google9g.com, googlejuliet.com, googleabidjan.com, googlejxholdings.com, googleadam.com, googlekarachi.com, googleaddthis.com, googlekatharinemcphee.com, googleadobe.com, googlekatowice.com, googleaegon.com, googlekellyclarkson.com, googleaeon.com, googlekfc.com, googleaflac.com, googlekindle.com, googleagriculturalbankofchina.com, googlekindlefire.com, googleaig.com, googlekinsha.com, googleala.com, googlealexandria.com, googlekmart.com, googlealger.com, googleknicks.com, googlealipay.com, googlekobe.com, googleallah.com, googlekoch.com, googleallianz.com, googlekochindustries.com, googleallrecipes.com, googlekohls.com, googleallstate.com, googlekoln.com, googleamericanexpress.com, googlekpcb.com, googleamericaninternationalgroup.com, googlekpcb.info, googleamerisourcebergen.com, googlekpmg.com, googleamex.com, googlekpmg.info, googleaminoacids.com, googlekroger.com, googleangels.com, googlekuwait.com, googleangieslist.com, googlekuwaitpetroleum.com, googleappleinc.com, googlekuwaitpetroleumcorporation.com, googleappleipad.com, googlekyle.com, googleappletv.com, googlelaclippers.com, googleaquarius.com, googlelahore.com, googlearcelormittal.com, googlelakers.com, googlearcherdaniels.com, googlelalakers.com, googlearcherdanielsmidland.com, googlelarealestate.com, googlearies.com, googleleatherpride.com, googleassicurazioni.com, googleleo.com, googleassicurazionigenerali.com, googlelevis.com, googleathina.com, googleliberal.com, googleatkearney.com, googlelibra.com, googleatt.com, googlelima.com, googleattphones.com, googlelimbaugh.com, googleavengers.com, googlelinkedin.com, googleaviva.com, googlelions.com, googleaxa.com, googleliveinternet.com, googlebabyclothes.com, googlelivejournal.com, googlebabyfood.com, googlelloyds.com, googlebabylon.com, googlelloydsbankinggroup.com, googlebabynames.com, googlelloydsoflondon.com, googlebadgers.com, googlelonghorns.com, googlebadoo.com, googlelonnie.com, googlebaghdad.com, googlelowes.com, googleballeys.com, googlelsu.com, googleballys.com, googlelsutigers.com, googlebama.com, googlelte.com, googlebangalore.com, googlelukoil.com, googlebangdung.com, googlelunch.com, googlebangkok.com, googlemacys.com, googlebankofamerica.com, googlemanila.com, googlebankofchina.com, googlemanning.com, googlebarack.com, googlebarackobama.net, googlebarbershops.com, googlebarclays.com, googlebarclaysbank.com, googlemaputo.com, googlebart.com, googlemarathon.com, googlebasf.com, googlemarathonoil.com, googlebatman.com, googlemarchmadness.com, googlebaylor.com, googlemarriott.com, googlebc.com, googlemartin.com, googlebcg.com, googlemavericks.com, googlebcs.com, googlemavs.com, googlebcsprojections.com, googlemcdonalds.com, googlebcsrankings.com, googlemckesson.com, googlebdo.com, googlemckessoncorporation.com, googlebe6.com, googlemedco.com, googlebears.com, googlemedcohealthsolutions.com, googlebelohorizonte.com, googlemedellin.com, googlebengals.com, googlemelbourne.com, googleberkshirehathaway.com, googlemetlife.com, googlebestdroidapps.com, googlemetroag.com, googlebestiapps.com, googlemets.com, googlebestnotebooks.com, googlemexicocity.com, googlebestonlinestores.com, googlemiamiheat.com, googlebestsellers.com, googlemichaelkors.com, googlebestvideogames.com, googlemitsubishi.com, googlebestwestern.com, googlemitsubishicorporation.com, googlebhp.com, googlemitt.com, googlebhpbilliton.com, googlemittromneysdog.com, googlebills.com, googlemoneyorders.com

The full list of domains identified in the complaint can be seen here.

Discussion: Marketing Land and NamePros

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Disputes National Arbitration Forum News Trademarks Video Games

Google files a complaint over the GooglePlay.com domain name

Google Play

Google introduced Google Play earlier this week and one of the key missing pieces for the online launch was the domain name GooglePlay.com.  That’s because the name has been owned by someone else and not the search engine giant for years.

But Google isn’t wasting any time trying to get the domain name to go with its new entertainment hub.  A complaint (Case No. 1432449) has now officially been filed with the National Arbitration Forum.

Google submitted a trademark application (Serial Number: 85560994) with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on March 5, 2012, one day before officially announcing the launch of Google Play on its official blog.

The goods and services in the trademark filing cover:

computer software for transmission and display of digital content, audio works, visual works, audiovisual works, electronic publications, books, movies, and music; computer software for browsing and accessing digital content, computer software, computer games, audio works, visual works, audiovisual works, electronic publications, books, movies, and music

online retail store services featuring digital content, computer software programs, computer games, audio works, visual works, audiovisual works, electronic publications, books, movies, and music

providing temporary use of non-downloadable computer software for browsing and accessing digital content, computer software programs, audio works, visual works, audiovisual works, electronic publications, books, movies, and movies; providing temporary use of non-downloadable computer software for transmission and display of digital content, audio works, visual works, audiovisual works, electronic publications, books, movies, and music

Today, GooglePlay.com is owned by a resident of Japan according to Whois records.  The site displays third party ads in Japanese.

Google uses play.google.com as its online destination and is most certainly bleeding traffic to GooglePlay.com.

In order for the name to be transferred to Google, the National Arbitration Forum Panel will determine if the disputed domain meets the following three elements required under the ICANN policy:

(1) the domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark in which the complainant has rights
(2) the owner has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name and;
(3) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith. 

As I reported at the beginning of the month, Google registered a slew of googleplay domain names in late February through the brand protection company MarkMonitor, but missing in the list was googleplay.com.

Discussion: The Next Web, Techmeme, Electronista, NU.nl, Marketing Land, WebProNews and Softpedia

Categories
Disputes National Arbitration Forum News Video Games

Microsoft wins dispute over fake Halo 4 beta site, Halo4Beta.net to be transferred

Halo 4 Beta scam

Gamers looking to sign up for Halo 4 Beta, will soon have one less website to be tricked by after Microsoft Corporation won the rights to Halo4Beta.net.

A complaint (Case No. 1426106) was officially filed with the National Arbitration Forum back in late January, shortly after David Ellis of 343 Industries warned Halo fans through Twitter to avoid fake Halo 4 Beta sites.

On March 6, 2012, a single-member panel concluded that all three elements required to be proven under the ICANN Policy were established, and that the name is ordered transferred from Edward Lee (the respondent) to Microsoft (the complainant).

On the subject of registration and use in bad faith:

The <halo4beta.net> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s HALO trademark.  Respondent registered and uses the domain name in bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv) in that Respondent attempts to benefit commercially from Internet users’ confusion as to the possibility of Complainant’s affiliation with the domain name.  See Perot Sys. Corp. v. Perot.net, FA 95312 (Nat. Arb. Forum Aug. 29, 2000) (finding bad faith registration and use where the domain name there in question was obviously connected with a complainant’s marks, thus creating a likelihood of confusion for a respondent’s commercial gain); see also Victoria’s Secret Stores Brand Mgmt., Inc. v. Privacy Protect, FA 1404667 (Nat. Arb. Forum Sept. 30, 2011) (finding bad faith registration and use under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv) where a disputed domain name resolved to a website offering visitors gift cards in exchange for completing surveys and providing personal information).

It is also significant that Respondent registered the <halo4beta.net> domain name on June 15, 2011, only days after Complainant had publicly announced that it would be releasing HALO 4.  This strongly suggests that Respondent’s registration and use of the domain name has been done in bad faith within the contemplation of Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii).  See Sota v. Waldron, D2001-0351 (WIPO June 18, 2001) (finding that a respondent’s registration of the domain name <seveballesterostrophy.com> at the time of the announcement of the Seve Ballesteros Trophy golf tournament “strongly indicates an opportunistic registration”);  see also Thermo Electron Corp. v. Xu, FA 713851 (Nat. Arb. Forum July 12, 2006) (“If there had been any doubt as to bad faith, the fact that registration was on the same day the news leaked about the merger, which was put in evidence, is a compelling indication of bad faith that respondent has to refute and which he has failed to do.  The panel finds a negative inference from this.”).

The full details of the ruling have been released and can be read online here.

For Microsoft Corporation, it’s officially one down, one to go.  Unofficially, it’s likely many more.

As I reported yesterday, Microsoft is going after another phony Halo 4 Beta site.  A complaint was filed (Case Number: 1432610) with the National Arbitration Forum over Halo4Beta.biz (screenshot).  The domain name is owned by a resident of Illinois according to Whois records.

Discussion: Joystiq and Myona News