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Blockchain Domains: New Developments for Brand Owners
Blockchain technology has revolutionized many industries, including finance, supply chain management, and digital identity verification. One of its latest frontiers is the domain name system (DNS). Blockchain domain names offer decentralized alternatives to traditional DNS-based domain names, promising greater security, privacy, and censorship resistance. However, these benefits come with significant challenges, especially for brand owners seeking to protect their brands in these new digital spaces. This article explores the challenges associated with trademark protection in blockchain domain names and examines new steps and policies that blockchain domain registrars should implement to safeguard brand owners.
Traditional Domain Name Registration and Protection
The traditional DNS operates under a hierarchical structure managed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). This centralized authority oversees domain name registrations and resolves disputes through established policies such as the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP). Developed more than 20 years ago, the UDRP was ICANN’s first consensus policy and was intended to address cybersquatting in the DNS. Cybersquatting involves registering domain names that are identical or confusingly similar to trademarks with the intent to register and use those names in bad faith.