Internet domain name brand protection,domain name branding general trend

According to the latest data, starting from 2014, the number of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) available for registration on the internet has increased from the current 22, which includes ".com," ".org," ".net," and others, to over a thousand. Among them, Chinese gTLDs will make their debut on the internet, covering more Chinese trademarks. There is no doubt that the expansion of domain names presents new challenges to the order of domain name registration.

For businesses, a domain name is not just a simple web address. Choosing a good domain name before operating a website plays a crucial role in future marketing and brand establishment. However, due to the global nature of the domain name system, with features like easy registration, instant activation, first-come-first-served, and the ability to cross borders, combined with the fact that some companies do not give enough importance to domain names when building their websites, instances of domain names identical to trademarked words being registered by others and the infringement of trademark holders' rights frequently occur.

Numerous well-known companies have been involved in such disputes, as seen in media reports. For example, JD.com, after entering the e-commerce sector, maintained rapid growth and became well-known among internet users. However, JD.com initially used the domain 360buy.com for a long time, leading many users to believe that JD.com was a website under the 360 brand. Later, JD.com spent millions to acquire JD.com. Vipshop.com, originally the domain name for VIP.com, was not easy for users to remember. Subsequently, Vipshop.com spent millions to purchase VIP.com and has now fully transitioned to that domain.

Faced with the growing challenges of brand domain name registrations and infringements, establishing and perfecting a comprehensive internet brand protection mechanism has become an urgent issue. In this context, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has introduced a global trademark and domain name information exchange system. Trademark owners can store their trademark information in this system, enabling them to enjoy the world's unique preventive trademark protection services and gain an advantage in avoiding the risk of trademark domain name registrations at the source.

In response, the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau's Business Development Center announced the full launch of the China Internet Brand Protection System at the Internet Brand Protection Summit Forum. It integrated with ICANN's Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH), which is a mechanism for protecting trademark rights. This system establishes a comprehensive internet brand protection framework that includes information services, transaction processing, and stewardship services. Additionally, with the strong support of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and the Trademark Office, a platform for batch verification of trademark information has been established, creating a "high-speed lane" for China's internet brand protection.

"Through this mechanism, it can effectively ensure the seamless connection of internet brand protection measures, achieve the protection of Chinese brands on the internet, and promote the strategic globalization of Chinese brands. In the future, Chinese companies will undoubtedly pay more attention to the connection between brands and domain names, and domain name branding will be the trend," said Yang Guofu.

With the introduction of domain names like ".london" in January this year, more personalized and specialized domain name extensions will continue to emerge. In addition, the Chinese gTLD ".zai xian" (pronounced as "zài xiàn") officially opened for registration on January 17th, marking the official beginning of the chapter of Chinese domain names. More brands will showcase their intellectual property through Chinese domain names. For Chinese companies, this is a silent war to safeguard their own corporate domain name intellectual property rights.