Source: https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/decisions/html/2003/d2003-0691.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 10:20:02+00:00

Document:
Museum of Science v. Asia Ventures, Inc.
The Complainant is Museum of Science, Boston, Massachusetts, of United States of America, represented by Hale and Dorr, LLP, United States of America.
The Respondent is Asia Ventures, Inc, Hong Kong, SAR of China.
The disputed domain name <museumofscienceboston.com> is registered with IARegistry.com, South Carolina, United States of America.
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the "Center") on September 2, 2003. On September 3, 2003, the Center transmitted by email to IARegistry.com a request for registrar verification in connection with the domain name at issue. On September 5, 2003, IARegistry.com transmitted by email to the Center its verification response confirming that the Respondent is listed as the registrant and providing the contact details for the administrative, billing, and technical contact. The Center verified that the Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Policy"), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Rules"), and the "Supplemental Rules").
In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2(a) and 4(a), the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on September 8, 2003. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was September 28, 2003. The Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Respondent�s default on September 29, 2003.
The Center appointed the undersigned as the sole panelist in this matter on October 6, 2003. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7.
The Complainant is the well-known Museum of Science located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, which has been in operation continuously since its establishment in 1830. The Museum has an educational mission to stimulate interest and further the understanding of science and technology. Each year the Museum has more than 1.6 million visitors. The Museum is known as "Museum of Science", the "Boston Museum of Science", the "Museum of Science, Boston" and the "Museum of Science in Boston". The Complainant operates website at several domain names, including <museumofscience.org>, <museumofscience.net>, and <bostonmuseumofscience.org>.
The Complainant requested the transfer of the disputed domain name from the Respondent in a letter of June 4, 2003. The Complainant received no response to this letter.
The Respondent registered and is using a domain name that is confusingly similar to Complainant's trade name and marks. According to the information in WhoIs database, the Respondent registered domain name <museumofscienceboston.com> on or about December 25, 2001. According to the Complainant, the Respondent is using the disputed domain to direct users to search engine RocketSearch.
The Complainant�s marks and its trade name are well known marks, and have been used by the Complainant in connection with the educational services offered by the Museum for at least 50 years, when the Museum changed its name from the Boston Society of Natural History to Boston Museum of Science, and consequently to Museum of Science.
The Respondent could not have been unaware of the Complainant�s long-standing rights in its marks and trade name, which are recognized throughout the United States and worldwide. The disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the Complainant�s marks and trade name. The Respondent registered and is using the domain name in bad faith.
As to the first question, the wording of the Paragraph 4(a) (i) to "trademark or service mark" has been interpreted by numerous Panels in the past to include both registered marks and the common law marks. See inter alia The British Broadcasting Corporation v. Jaime Renteria, WIPO Case No. D2000-0050; United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc. v. Domains for Sale Inc. WIPO Case No. D2002-0005, The Professional Golfers� Association of America v. Golf Fitness Inc., a/k/a Golf Fitness Association, WIPO Case No. D2001-0218; Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences v Fantastic Sites, Inc. National Arbitration Forum No. : FA0009000095560. With respect to the latter, the Complaint must show that the mark has been in continuous use (See United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc. v. Domains for Sale Inc, already cited; Keppel TatLee Bank Limited v. Lars Taylor, WIPO Case No. D2001-0168) and that the mark achieved secondary meaning ("distinctive character") in association with the Complainant. (See Australian Trade Commission v. Matthew Reader, WIPO Case No. D2002-0786; (1) Galatasaray Spor Kulubu Dernegi (2) Galatasaray Pazarlama A.S. (3) Galatasaray Sportif Sinai Ve Ticari Yatirimlar A.S. v. Maksimum Iletisim A.S., WIPO Case No. D2002-0726). This general rule was also applied with respect to museums. See Van Gogh Museum Enterprises BV and Stichting Van Gogh Museum v. M. Ohannessian, WIPO Case No. D2001-0879, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art v. Joshua S. Drapiewski, WIPO Case No. D2000-1751.
The record confirms that Complainant has been continuously using the mark since the end of World War II. The Complainant has extensively promoted its services, both nationally and internationally, and the record confirms that the mark is undoubtedly associated with the Complainant. Therefore, the Panels finds that the Complainant has rights in the mark BOSTON MUSEUM OF SCIENCE and related marks.
As to the second question, the Panel finds that the domain name is confusingly similar to the Complainant�s marks. The disputed domain name <museumofscienceboston.com> incorporates the Complainant mark "Museum of Science", the geographical identifier "Boston" and the generic top-level domain reference ".com". As a rule, when a domain name wholly incorporates a complainant�s mark and adds a generic word, or a geographical identifier, that is sufficient to establish confusing similarity for purposes of the Policy. See Experian Information Solutions, Inc. v. BPB Prumerica Travel (a/k/a SFXB a/k/a H. Bousquet a/k/a Brian Evans) WIPO Case No. D2002-0367, CMGI, Inc. v. Reyes, WIPO Case No. D2000-0572). Confusion is only heightened when the generic word added by Respondent is the very location of the Complainant, whose marks and services has been strongly associated with the location. See The Field Museum of Natural History v. John Barry d/b/a Buy This Domain, National Arbitration Forum No. FA0205000114354; Am. Online, Inc. v. Asian On-Line This Domain For Sale, National Arbitration Forum No. 94636. The addition of the generic top-level domain (gTLD) reference ".com", which is necessary for a domain name to be operational, does not alter the mark, and is sufficient to establish functional identity to the complainant�s mark. See Pomellato S.p.A v. Richard Tonetti, WIPO Case No. D2000-0493, Telecom Personal, S.A., v. NAMEZERO.COM, Inc, WIPO Case No. D2001-0015, Société Générale and Fimat International Banque v Lebanon Index/La France DN and Elie Khouri, WIPO Case No. D2002-0760.
The Complainants submits that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the domain name based on Complainant's prior use of the "Museum of Science" in Boston mark. The Respondent, whom did not file a Response, did not dispute this contention nor provide information as to its interests to use the domain name.
There were no elements introduced in evidence to show that the Respondent is or was commonly known by the domain name. There is no evidence that the Respondent is making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the domain name.
C. Was the domain name Registered and Used in Bad Faith?
There is evidence of the situation described in paragraph (iv) and some evidence of a pattern as contemplated in paragraph (ii). The relevant facts are mentioned below.
The Respondent registered the domain name in bad faith. Apart from the famous nature of the Complainant�s marks, the domain name is composed of the Complainant�s mark "Museum of Science" and the geographic identifier "Boston". It is reasonable to conclude that only someone who was familiar with the Complainant�s mark would have registered the identical domain name. A number of decisions under the Policy stand for the proposition that in respect of famous marks, which have a higher level of protection in international intellectual property agreements (see e.g. Article 16(2) and (3) of the TRIPS Agreement), the person who registers a confusingly similar domain name should be willing to show an intention to express himself or herself by responding to communications and indicating good faith use of the domain name. See Pharmacia & Upjohn AB v. Dario H. Romero, WIPO Case No. D2000-1273; Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. v. [No Name], WIPO Case No. D2000-0515; Telstra Corporation, Ltd. v. Nuclear Marshmallows, WIPO Case No. D2000-0003; Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. v. Zuccarini and the Cupcake Patrol aka Country Walk aka Cupcake Party, WIPO Case No. D2000-0330; eBay Inc. v. Sunho Hong, WIPO Case No. D2000-1633 and Ellerman Investments Limited and The Ritz Hotel Casino Limited v. Antonios Manessis (trading as .com and manessis.com), WIPO Case No. D2001-1461. This general rules with respect to famous marks has also been confirmed with respect to museums in particular. See Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences v Fantastic Sites, Inc., National Arbitration Forum Case No. FA0009000095560, Dr. Karl Albrecht v. Eric Natale, National Arbitration Forum Case No. FA 95465; Van Gogh Museum Enterprises BV and Stichting Van Gogh Museum v. M. Ohannessian, already cited; Museum of Science v. Pro-Life Domains Inc. WIPO Case No. D2003-0424. The Respondent did not respond to any communication from the Center and did not indicate good faith use of the disputed domain name in by any means.
It is inconceivable that Respondent chose to register domain name <museumofsceinceboston> by accident. In fact, it is fairly difficult to conceive of any plausible actual or contemplated active use of the domain name by the Respondent that would not be infringing or the Complainant�s marks.
In addition, the Respondent is using the disputed domain name for commercial purposes creating likelihood of confusion with the Complainant�s marks. Users who visit the disputed domain name are automatically forwarded to a search engine "RocketSearch" which offers a number of subsequent links to various commercial services.
For all the foregoing reasons, in accordance with Paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the domain name, <museumofscienceboston>, be transferred to the Complainant.

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