Afilias To Challenge ".info" CybersquattersAfilias To Challenge ".info" Cybersquatters

Afilias Ltd., the consortium in charge of administering the new ".info" Web domains, says it will challenge potentially fraudulent registrations not already contested by trademark owners. The move comes in response to complaints that the system is being exploited by cybersquatters and that existing challenge procedures protect only trademark owners.

Trademark owners have been able to reserve domains related to their trademarks during a "sunrise period" of registration that began July 25 and runs until Sept. 12. However, critics say that cybersquatters have jumped the gun and are submitting fake trademarks, thus fraudulently obtaining the virtual real estate before the public has a shot at it. Afilias has a challenge process that allows trademark holders to pay $295 and have questionable registrations reviewed by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). But, critics say, the cost could be prohibitive for individuals, and it doesn't protect those who don't own trademarks but have legitimate claims to domains.

Afilias Wednesday responded to the complaints, saying that it will submit its own challenges to the WIPO once its period for accepting challenges from trademark holders ends Dec. 26. Afilias' chief marketing officer Roland LaPlante declined to say how the company will determine which registrations it will challenge. "We've already had a fair amount of energy used to find ways to game our system, and we don't want to provide more ammunition," says LaPlante.

LaPlante says individuals can get around the $295 challenge fee by sending suspicious registrations to [email protected]. He says Afilias will add those names to its list of potential challenges.