Domain battle enters free speech arena

 

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The courts, governmental bodies, and digital entrepreneurs duke it out over intellectual property rights and the prerogative to include "bad words" in URLs. "Everyone agreed that cybersquatting was an abusive practice." - Francis Gurry, WIPO assistant director general

NSI's ban on "dirty" domains challenged Network Solutions' refusal to register expletives as domain names faces scrutiny when a federal judge hears arguments that the policy violates free-speech guarantees. Domain restrictions target Cybersquatters update "Cybersquatters," or speculators who register scores of domain names in hopes of reselling them to top bidders, could face tough restrictions if a new international policy proposal is widely adopted. Who's been registering MyName.com? first person When I came to work this morning, I found out I had a new home on the Internet. Someone--not me--had registered "CourtneyMacavinta.com."