Cybersquatting, also called domain squatting, is the practice of registering, trafficking in or using an internet domain name with a bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else. The term derives from squatting, the act of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building without ownership, rental agreement or other permission to use it, applied here to the unauthorized occupation of a domain name that trades on another party's established trademark.
Facts
Elements of OffenseRegistering, trafficking in, or using an Internet domain name with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of someone else's trademark 1 Notable ExamplePanavision Int'l, L.P. v. Toeppen (9th Cir. 1998) 1 Jurisdiction VariationSome countries, including the United States (Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, 1999), have specific laws beyond ordinary trademark law 1 Classification
Offense GradeMinor or Summary Offense 1 Connections
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Cybersquatting (Wikipedia)
Lead paragraph, first sentence
registering, trafficking in, or using an Internet domain name, with a bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else
In the United States of America, first sentence
Some countries have specific laws against cybersquatting beyond the normal rules of trademark law.
Notable cases, With litigation, United States
Panavision Int'l, L.P. v. Toeppen 141 F.3d 1316 (9th Cir. 1998)
View the SourceLegal Information Institute, Cornell Law School: Cybersquatting (Wex Legal Dictionary)
Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law SchoolIn Group: Intellectual Property and Name Infringement, Wex definitionQuote, In Group: Intellectual Property and Name Infringement, Wex definition
Cybersquatting occurs when a person other than the owner of a well-known trademark registers that trademark as an Internet domain name and then attempts to profit from it.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.