Cybersquatting Cases Fall in 2009
Cybersquatting challenges fall in 2009.
The number of cybersquatting cases filed under Uniform domain-name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) fell to a three year low in 2009, and the rate of cybersquatting cases compared to the total number of domains registered fell to an all-time low, as stated by an analysis by Domain name Wire.
Data from WIPO, National Arbitration Forum, Czech Arbitration Court, and UDRPSearch, show there were just over 3,700 cases filed in 2009. Cases filed at WIPO fell from 2,329 in 2008 to 2,107 in 2009. Cases at National Arbitration Forum fell from regarding 1,770 cases to approximately 1,605* in 2009. Czech Arbitration Court oversaw fewer than 20 non-.eu cases.
The overall numbers represent a 9% decrease in cases filed. The number of domain names involved in disputes at WIPO increased due to multi-domain cases.
Both WIPO and National Arbitration Forum found in favor of the complainant nearly 90% of the time cases were decided.
The rate of cybersquatting — defined by the number of cases filed divided by the number of total .com domains registered — fell to regarding 1 in 22,000 domain names, the lowest ever recorded since the introduction of UDRP.
*Estimated. Unlike WIPO, NAF does not keep up-to-date cumulative numbers on its web site.
