WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center Registers Its 50,000th “Cybersquatting” Case

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WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center Registers Its 50,000th “Cybersquatting” Case

By CircleID Reporter
December 01, 2020, 6:24 pm PST Views: 16,225 Add Comment

The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center on Monday announced it had registered its 50,000th “cybersquatting” case. The 50,000th case just received by WIPO coincides with the organization’s 20th anniversary on November 20, 2020. WIPO reported that to date, it has administered 50,000 UDRP-based proceedings covering almost 91,000 domain names involving parties from over 180 countries. Noteworthy highlights:

Increased domain registrations: Many domain name registration authorities have reported an increase in the number of domain names registered. “These may be used for news/information sites, or to provide new business offerings, but—much like social media platforms—are also being used to spread misinformation and to engage in illegal and fraudulent activities.”

Surge in cases: “The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled cybersquatting cases filed with WIPO’s Arbitration and Mediation Center, adding to the record WIPO filing seen this year. From January through October 2020, the WIPO Center handled 3,405 cases, or an 11% increase over the same period during 2019.”

In an interview, GigaLaw’s Doug Isenberg talks with Erik Wilbers, Director of WIPO’s Arbitration and Mediation Center; and Brian Beckham, head of the Center’s Internet Dispute Resolution Section. The interview disclosed more details on the significance of the 50,000th domain name dispute case (<discoverbankk.com>), why UDRP complaints are on the rise, and how WIPO is handling an ongoing surge in domain name disputes even during the coronavirus pandemic.

By CircleID Reporter — CircleID’s internal staff reporting on news tips and developing stories. Do you have information the professional Internet community should be aware of? Contact us.
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