<p dir="ltr">Reminds of January 2009 WIPO dispute on domain name <a href="http://carlosslimhelu.com">carlosslimhelu.com</a> which an Indonesian had registered and threatened to populate it with porn, unless tycoon Carlos paid him 55 million us dollars. WIPO decided in Carlos favour. Not everyone, especially in disadvantaged nations, can afford international dispute processes. Anywho,,,, WIPO made very rich going forward...<br>
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<div class="gmail_quote">On Mar 27, 2015 2:37 PM, "Andres Guadamuz" <<a href="mailto:A.Guadamuz@sussex.ac.uk" target="_blank">A.Guadamuz@sussex.ac.uk</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
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I had a class today exactly about this. I was joking to the students
if I should consider buying andresguadamuz.sucks and
andresguadamuz.porn, and we had an extensive discussion about
whether the above would be defamatory if someone else did it. Most
of the class thought that you could successfully bring up an action
in England for defamation just for registering the domain. <br>
<br>
I tend to agree. <br>
<br>
If anything, ICANN has made it easier to bring defamation cases in
some jurisdicitons, and I'm not sure if this is an improvement on
the status quo. <br>
<br>
Best Regards,<br>
<br>
Andres<br>
<br>
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Dr Andres Guadamuz
Senior Lecturer in Intellectual Property Law
Room G17
Freeman Centre
University of Sussex
Brighton, East Sussex BN1 9QE
Tel. 01273 678629
<a href="http://ssrn.com/author=387238" target="_blank">http://ssrn.com/author=387238</a>
<a href="http://www.technollama.co.uk" target="_blank">http://www.technollama.co.uk</a> </pre>
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<div>On 26/03/2015 17:59, Sam Lanfranco
wrote:<br>
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<blockquote type="cite">
<div><big><small>Carlos,</small><u></u><u></u></big><big>
</big><br>
<br>
By its actions, and its in-actions, ICANN is dangerously close
to serving up its head of a silver plate to its critics. I do
not see how all of this will not feed outside attacks on ICANN’s
ability, its integrity….and its future. <u></u><u></u><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small>The defensive domain name moves of significant entities
such as universities qualify them as victims here. It is similar
to paying someone to not burn down your house. However, while
this may possibly be seen as a human rights abuse, this also
comes dangerously close to activities that fall under the United
States Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (18
U.S.C. §§ 1961–1968), commonly called the "RICO Act". <u></u><u></u><small><br>
</small> <small><br>
</small><big><small>The RICO act was designed to fight organized
crime but the statute as written covers illegal activities
relating to any enterprise affecting interstate or foreign
commerce. Of course, the pivotal legal question here is
whether or not willfully engaging in, and benefiting
financially from, an enterprise built on defensive domain
name registrations can be interpreted as “extortion” and
hence an illegal activity. Even if it is not legally
illegal, it does nothing to bolster confidence in the
integrity and abilities of ICANN. That is the lesson to be
learned here. <span><br>
<br>
Sam L. </span></small><u></u><u></u></big><br>
<big> </big><br>
<small><i><i><br>
On 26/03/2015 1:00 PM, Carlos Afonso wrote:</i></i></small><small><i><br>
</i></small></div>
<blockquote type="cite"><small><i>A
terrible result of a new gTLDs' policy devoid of
anti-extortion clauses. Hundreds of new gTLDs whose business
model is based on $$$ gained with almost forceful preemptive
registration... All in name of a neoliberal credo defending
no restrictions for new domains. And we (NCSG/NCUC) have
been mute on this. </i><i><br>
</i> <i><br>
</i><i>Aren't the victims of this extortion a case for our
human rights advocacy? </i><i><br>
</i> <i><br>
</i><i>--c.a. </i><i><br>
</i> <i><br>
</i> </small></blockquote>
<small><i><br>
</i><i><br>
</i></small>
<pre cols="72"><small><i>-- </i></small>
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"It is a disgrace to be rich and honoured
in an unjust state" -Confucius
------------------------------------------------
Dr Sam Lanfranco (Prof Emeritus & Senior Scholar)
Econ, York U., Toronto, Ontario, CANADA - M3J 1P3
email: <a href="mailto:Lanfran@Yorku.ca" target="_blank">Lanfran@Yorku.ca</a> Skype: slanfranco
blog: <a href="http://samlanfranco.blogspot.com" target="_blank">http://samlanfranco.blogspot.com</a>
Phone: +1 613-476-0429 cell: +1 416-816-2852</pre>
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