Internet domain names and the interaction with intellectual property

This is the first in a series of articles looking at the interaction between domain names and intellectual property. This article defines and summarises the various types of domain names, how they are registered, the legal effects of registration, the WHOIS databases and, briefly, the interaction between domain names and intellectual property. Subsequent articles will consider the preferential “sunrise periods” for registration of certain domains by trade mark owners, the various kinds of disputes that arise in relation to domain names, dispute resolution procedures and legal proceedings for registered trade mark infringement and “passing off” in the UK.