The fact is that if you own a $1 million house, car, diamond or painting, you can't afford not to have it insured.
And if you own a $1 million domain, you can no longer afford not to have it trademarked, especially if it's a LL.com which is an abbreviation of many big corporations with large legal departments.
I think it's time for a sticky thread on "How to prevent domain theft (including reverse hijacking)."
Also, another sticky thread on "How to filter genuine buyers/sellers from scammers".
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In this case it has hit someone that can potentially afford to go for a lawsuit and end this disaster caused by an uneducated, unreasonable and simply false decision. My problem is more along the lines of; what happens when it hits any of us? The ones that have enough to collect domains, but cannot afford a 6-digit lawsuit to defend what's rightfully ours? The unfortunate downside of the story is that even within our own circles, WIPO one should believe understands the domainers motivation to collect, we are not being considered equal or even being treated with respect. It's yet another sad day in the domaining world.
Safety net is development? It's probably the safest way to use a domain, at the same time, with decision like the LH.com one, even development might be reduced to a joke.
This just goes to show that parking ANY considerably valuable domain is a bad idea. I think Elequa's past UDRP's and not putting his lawsuit on the table really did him in. I sincerely hope he makes "LH" and WIPO bleed for this disgusting travesty of justice.
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What is the point of being in this business if you can get wiped out at anytime
But seriously.. If your offered $1Million for a domain take it
The internet is created for people to use,create,educate.... These extentions were created for that reason not to store away and keep it as a collectable because your greedy...
I bought an LL.ca recently whose original owner had used the domain for years as an email address. He never tried to sell the domain, he just wanted a short domain for his email and I don't think he had a clue what it was worth... WIPO would consider such use as "not using the domain", yet this guy was using the name -- each and everyday as an email.
What really gives WIPO the right to dictate how we use OUR names? How much money do domainers pay ICANN each year in fees? What do we get for this - more laws + rules to screw us over?
I think there needs to be some sort of compensation attached to a WIPO decision whereby the complainant has to pay fair market value for the domain should they win. This would make a lot of these companies think twice before submitting to WIPO and for those who's domains are taken from them will at least get something. It is, as has been previously stated, far cheaper in most cases for them to WIPO instead of making a fair offer to the current owner.
I know if trademarked then they may be "entitled" to the domain but they should have either reg'd it themselves or be prepared to purchase it from the current owner. The way things are at the moment is just legalised theft IMO.
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