ICANN Submits Seventh Annual Report

ICANN has just submitted its seventh status report under ICANN/US Government Memorandum of Understanding to United States Department of Commerce (DoC) titled: "Report by ICANN to United States Department of Commerce Re: Progress Toward Objectives of Memorandum of Understanding". The report provides a review of recent ICANN developments including... more

UDRP Dilemma In Proving Bad-Faith Domain Registrations - Part II

In the second part of this 3-part series article, the issue of UDRP in proving bad-faith domain registrations is examined with respect to the trademark's characteristics. The first part of this article can be found here. In assessing whether there is a passive holding of a domain name, panels look carefully into the trademark's characteristics in question, namely what is the degree of reputation and distinctiveness of the trademark in question. more

Diverting Traffic On The Web: Trademarks And The First Amendment

What's at the heart of cybersquatting may also be at the heart of free speech on the Internet: the diversion of Internet users looking for plaintiff's web site to defendant's web site. Cybersquatters register domain names to accomplish this, while meta-infringers (as we will call them) use HTML code and search engine optimization techniques. Meta-infringers do this by creating keyword density by using competitor's trademarks and permutations thereof in their website in order to rank higher in the search engine results when someone searches on the competitor's trademarks. more

Life After Afternic: Exclusive Interview With Roger Collins

In a recent interviewed with Roger Collins, president of ProProject and the new owner of Afternic.com, CircleID investigates the logics behind ProProject's strong belief in the domain name secondary market. Once known as a primary domain name auction site, Register.com had purchased Afteric.com in the September of 2000 for $48 million in cash and stock -- 2 years later the site was shut down as money-losing unit until ProProject came along. more

RealNames’ Termination: More Catastrophic than Anticipated!

Microsoft is a special company. By definition, its operating systems and Internet browser are no longer just "applications;" they constitute a platform. They are - for 90 percent of Internet users - the sole interface to all Internet content and services. The browser is its own little monopoly. Such is its dominance that Microsoft has the power of life and death over innovation. more

National Academy of Science and the Domain Name System Controversy

The National Academy of Science (NAS) has been brought into the controversy over the future development of the Internet and its domain name system, a controversy recently fueled by the creation of ICANN. The US Congress under Public Law 105-305 mandated that the NAS undertake a study of the domain name system, which is to include options for its development, and the potential impact of the various alternatives. The $800,000 expenses for the study are to be funded by the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Commerce. more

Do We Need The New Top-level Domains?

After a long and exhaustive process it was finally decided by ICANN to introduce seven new top level domains in December. Well, they are not really introduced yet because the United States Government has the final word and they have not approved of them yet. Did you understand what I just wrote - the United States Government decides what names you can have on the Internet? more

The Long Wait for .web Ends

After a decade of legal disputes, Verisign has secured .web and will launch the long-awaited domain later this year, opening a new chapter in digital identity while raising fresh questions about pricing, adoption and competition. more

The Algorithmic Ceiling: How AI Surveillance Criminalizes Disability

AI surveillance systems increasingly classify human differences as algorithmic risk, leaving persons with disabilities vulnerable to exclusion, misclassification, and invisible barriers that threaten decades of progress in accessibility, accountability, and digital inclusion throughout public infrastructure. more

Why Are We Building 6G?

As 6G development accelerates, its promises of faster speeds, lower latency, and immersive applications raise questions about whether carriers can justify another costly network upgrade when 5G's commercial promises remain largely unfulfilled across the industry. more

The Question Isn’t Whether the Harm Is Real - It’s Who Should Act

Measuring online abuse can reveal its scale, but not who should intervene. Effective policy must distinguish harm from contractual responsibility, identify the actors best placed to act, and target remedies where they can work effectively. more

Community Networks Offer a Durable Route Across the Digital Divide

An ITU report finds that community-owned networks, backed by reliable technology, flexible financing and supportive regulation, can bring affordable, meaningful internet access to remote populations that traditional providers have struggled to reach at lasting scale. more

Shaping the Future of the IGF: Integration, Relevance and Impact in the Post-WSIS+20 Era

The Internet Governance Forum has secured its permanent place in the UN system. Its next challenge is to strengthen its relevance, deepen multistakeholder collaboration, and deliver greater impact across an increasingly complex and fragmented digital governance landscape. more

ZEGO’s Cyberattack Pushes Bavarian Textile Firm Into Insolvency

A cyberattack forced Bavarian textile specialist ZEGO into insolvency after a six-week production shutdown. The company is pursuing restructuring efforts to preserve jobs, customer relationships and its future amid growing cyber risks. more

FBI Warns of Russian Cyber Campaign Targeting Vulnerable Routers

The FBI and international partners warn that Russia's FSB Center 16 is exploiting vulnerable routers worldwide, highlighting persistent weaknesses in network security and urging organizations to adopt stronger protections to safeguard critical infrastructure against intrusion. more