Scoop on TM Rights Protection in new gTLDs - RE: [bc-gnso] FW: [Bulk] [gnso-sti] Draft Summary of Differences Between IRT Report and Applicant Guidebook Version 3

["Zahid Jamil" <zahid@xxxxxxxxx>]

This document was prepared for a meeting held yesterday between the IRT and
Staff (Kurt, Dan) and a Board Member (Bruce).

Here are some points that may interest members:

The outcome from Staff in the DAG3
(http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/dag-en.htm) and those mentioned on

for Rights Protection Mechanism
(http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/#prpm-new-gtlds -difficult to find
on the website and not connected to the DAG3’s website) DO NOT REFLCT the
IRT Recommendations.

It seems that the Staff has completely reengineered the solutions.   To a
large extent even though the title of the solution may be the same but the
contents are effectively not what the IRT recommended.

So to give members a feel of the process and what Staff acknowledged in
yesterday’s meeting:

Focusing on 5 Solutions:
1.       Reserved List (GPML)
2.       Central IP Database (IP Clearinghouse)
3.       Rapid Suspension (URSS)
4.       Rights holders right to take a Registry through a Dispute
Resolution after the gTLD is launched (Post Delegation Dispute Resolution
Procedure PDDRP)
5.       Thick Whois

Eg. 1 - So for instance, in regards PDDRP:

There were no comments from the community
The Board agreed at the higher level to a PDDRP

In my view this would have mean that Staff would go ahead and incorporate
the IRT solution (maybe just maybe filling in some holes) into DAG3 or the
Rights Protection Mechanism.  This wasn’t the case.

Instead the staff completely changed the PDDRP (see Jeff Neuman’s article
http://www.circleid.com/members/2921/ )

So as I put in the meeting yesterday Staff swapped the cards on the IRT, the
community, and the Board!

(But since this was too tricky they didn’t let this go to the GNSO)

In short the IRT had recommended that:


Standard for Asserting a Claim - 3
types:
(a) The Registry Operator’s manner
of operation or use of a TLD is
inconsistent with the
representations made in the TLD
application as approved by
ICANN and incorporated into the
applicable Registry Agreement
and such operation or use of the
TLD is likely to cause confusion
with the complainant’s mark; or
(b) The Registry Operator is in
breach of the specific rights
protection mechanisms
enumerated in such Registry
Operator’s Agreement and such
breach is likely to cause
confusion with complainant’s
mark; or












(c) The Registry Operator manner of operation or use of the TLD exhibits a
bad faith intent to profit from the systemic registration of domain name
registrations therein, which are identical or confusingly similar to the
complainant’s mark, meeting any of the following conditions: (i) taking
unfair advantage of the distinctive character or the reputation of
the complainant’s mark, or (ii) unjustifiably impairing the distinctive
character or the
reputation of the complainant’s mark, or (iii) creating an impermissible
likelihood of
confusion with Complainant’s mark.


For a Registry Operator to be liable for toplevel
infringement, a complainant must assert
and prove by clear and convincing evidence
that the Registry Operator’s affirmative
conduct in its operation or use of its gTLD, that is identical or
confusingly similar to the
complainant’s mark, causes or materially
contributes to the gTLD: (a) taking unfair
advantage of the distinctive character or the
reputation of the complainant’s mark, or (b)
unjustifiably impairing the distinctive character
or the reputation of the complainant’s mark, or








(c) creating an impermissible likelihood of
confusion with the complainant’s mark.
For a Registry Operator to be liable for the
conduct at the second level, the complainant
must assert and prove by clear and convincing
evidence:

(a) that there is substantial ongoing
pattern or practice of specific bad faith intent
by the registry operator to profit from the sale
of trademark infringing domain names; and



(b) of the registry operator’s bad faith intent to profit from the
systematic registration of
domain names within the gTLD, that are
identical or confusingly similar to the
complainant’s mark, which: (i) takes unfair
advantage of the distinctive character or the
reputation of the complainant’s mark, or (ii)
unjustifiably impairs the distinctive character or the reputation of the
complainant’s mark, or (iii) creates an impermissible likelihood of
confusion with the complainant’s mark. In this
regard, it would not be nearly enough to show
that the registry operator was on notice of
possible of trademark infringement through
registrations in the gTLD.

So basically if a Rights holder or a community that doesn’t object at the
application stage since the representations in the Application and the
Registry Agreement seem fine has no recourse subsequently to assert and
challenge in case there is a breach of the Registry Agreement or those
representations in the application.

ICANN staff’s response was:  we will independently deal with enforcement
brought to our notice.  Basically trust us to enforce Registry contracts.


Eg. 2 - In regards the URSS:
ICANN staff has changed the Rapid Suspension from MANDATORY to BEST PRACTICE


Also delinked URSS from the GPML and Clearing House “The Guidebook proposal
does not mention a pre‐registration process utilizing the Clearinghouse”

And since the Board was advised that this seems more like Policy the Board
has sent a letter to the GNSO to either:

a) approve the staff model (details of which can be found here
http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new‐gtlds/gnso‐consultations‐reports‐;
en.htm), which is an assimilation of the IRT work and Board concerns), or
b) propose an alternative that is equivalent or more effective and
implementable.

A six weeks window has been allowed.

This basically means that if GNSO cannot reach consensus then Staff Model is
likely to go through


The IRT proposals thus have been side tracked and swapped.


Example 3 - Reserved List (GPML)
It’s just gone - Staff had said that they would complete their research
(about strongest global brands- get data about global brands and see how
many countries these brands are registered in) and then come back - but the
GPML was just removed - no explanation and without completing this study.
SO NO RESERVED LIST - AND NO SOLUTION TO DEFENSIVE REGISTRATIONS!


Generally:

In response to protestations Kurt said in regards some aspects ‘you’re
preaching to the converted’  and generally said ‘go ahead and scream about
it’ - basically do what the Non commercials are doing.







Similarly









Sincerely,

Zahid Jamil
Barrister-at-law
Jamil & Jamil
Barristers-at-law
219-221 Central Hotel Annexe
Merewether Road, Karachi. Pakistan
Cell: +923008238230
Tel: +92 21 5680760 / 5685276 / 5655025
Fax: +92 21 5655026
 <http://www.jamilandjamil.com/> www.jamilandjamil.com

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From: owner-bc-gnso@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-bc-gnso@xxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Mike Rodenbaugh
Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 7:19 AM
To: bc-gnso@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bc-gnso] FW: [Bulk] [gnso-sti] Draft Summary of Differences
Between IRT Report and Applicant Guidebook Version 3

Further fyi, re STI (“Specified TM Issues”).

Mike Rodenbaugh
RODENBAUGH LAW
548 Market Street
San Francisco, CA  94104
(415)
<http://service.ringcentral.com/ringme/callback.asp?mbid=57178438,0,&referer
=http://rodenbaugh.com/contact>  738-8087
http://rodenbaugh.com <http://rodenbaugh.com/>
From: owner-gnso-sti@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-gnso-sti@xxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Margie Milam
Sent: Saturday, October 24, 2009 6:01 PM
To: Council GNSO; gnso-sti@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Bulk] [gnso-sti] Draft Summary of Differences Between IRT Report
and Applicant Guidebook Version 3

Dear All,

As we discussed yesterday,  attached is  a document that summarizes the key
differences between the IRT and the Applicant Guidebook Version 3.   This
matrix seeks to succinctly present areas of contrast and briefly explain the
rationale for the differences.    Please review this draft  and let me know
whether there is any other information that should be included to facilitate
the GNSO’s work on the Board request.

Best regards,

Margie Milam
Senior Policy Counselor
ICANN