There are changes coming to .NL domain registrations. Beginning October 1, 2023, owners of .NL domains will no longer be able to use proxy or privacy services as the nominal registrants of their domain name. This change is intended to make domain owners more easily contactable and to prevent bad actors from dishonestly registering a domain.More
ALERT: New gTLD .MUSIC Set to Launch Soon
A new domain extension, .MUSIC, is launching soon. .MUSIC is a restricted TLD (top level domain) that is exclusive to artists, music-based business, and other members of the global music community. Content on a .MUSIC website may only relate to music.
The Sunrise period,More
CLIENT ALERT: The New Google Ads Trademark Policy Goes Live July 24
By Leo Kittay and Todd Martin
Google has announced that it is changing its approach to enforcing the rights of brand owners whose trademarks are used by others within Google Ads. The new Google Ads Trademark Policy,More
Brand Owners, Beware: Chinese Trademark Law May Be Changing
By Amanda B. Agati and Robin L. Warren
Trademark hoarders, pirates and other bad faith actors can be a real pain, but the China National Intellectual Property Administration’s (“CNIPA”) attempt to put them out of business may also have negative consequences for brand owners.More
Divergent Laws Concerning “Keyword Bidding” Mean Businesses Should Proceed with Caution
The practice of bidding on and purchasing a third party’s trademark as a keyword to trigger advertisements for the bidder’s goods or services (“Keyword Bidding”) has become an increasingly common commercial practice facilitated by search platforms such as Google Ads. Notwithstanding the prevalence of Keyword Bidding,More
.au Domain Administration set to launch second-level domain availability
The .au Domain Administration is launching second-level .au domain availability. Priority allocation of these domains will go to holders of equivalent third-level domains (.com.au, .org.au, .net.au, etc.) that were registered before February 4, 2018 and remain registered. The priority allocation period ends on September 24,More
New Domain Extension for Kids “.kids” TLD Set to Launch
Beginning August 11, 2022, the new gTLD “.kids” will become available for registration, creating a dedicated space for all things kids on the internet. It is an unrestricted TLD, meaning anyone can register and use the extension as long as the site abides by the rules of the registry regarding content limitations.More
Thai (.TH) Second Level Domain Re-Launch
The Thai registry re-launched 2nd level .TH domain names on June 1st, 2022 through July 31st, 2022. Previously, the .TH extension was restricted to IDN (non-Latin) characters only. THNIC is now allowing ASCII characters for .TH domain names, meaning English words are now available for registration with the .TH extension.More
Ninth Circuit affirms dismissal of copyright suit against Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse”
Christian hip-hop artists Marcus Gray (“Flame”), Emanuel Lambert, and Chike Ojukwu, composers of the song “Joyful Noise,” sued Katy Perry and others, claiming her hit song, “Dark Horse,” copied the ostinato – a short musical phrase consisting of eight notes – in plaintiffs’ song.More
Implementation of the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020 by the USPTO Ushers in New Procedures that Aim to Remove Unused Trademarks from the Register
By Allison Strickland Ricketts
The Trademark Modernization Act (“TMA” or “Act”) enacted new expungement, reexamination and cancellation proceedings that can be deployed for the purpose of cancelling, in whole or in part, registrations for trademarks that are not in use for some or all of the goods and services in a registration:More