Opinion ID: 1059614
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the internet and domain names

Text: The Internet, which began as a United States military computer network called ARPANET, is now a vast and expanding, Intermatic, 947 F.Supp. at 1230, worldwide network of interconnected computers, Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union, 521 U.S. 844, 849-50, 117 S.Ct. 2329, 138 L.Ed.2d 874 (1997). Anyone connected to the Internet can access an exponentially expanding wealth of information through an array of communication methods such as electronic mail, electronic mailing list services known as listservs, chat rooms, newsgroups, and the World Wide Web (the Web). Id. at 851, 117 S.Ct. 2329. The Web is probably the most widely known and utilized method of communication on the Internet. Id. at 852, 117 S.Ct. 2329. In simple terms, the Web consists of information or documents presented on pages [3] of graphics, text and/or sound. Lockheed Martin Corp. v. Network Solutions, Inc., 985 F.Supp. 949, 951 (C.D.Cal. 1997), aff'd, 194 F.3d 980 (9th Cir.1999); Intermatic, 947 F.Supp. at 1231. Pages may contain `links' [4] to other pages either within the same set of data files (`Web site') or within data files located on other computer networks. Lockheed Martin, 985 F.Supp. at 951. See also Robert L. Tucker, Information Superhighway Robbery: The Tortious Misuse of Links, Frames, Metatags, and Domain Names, 4 Va. J.L. & Tech. 8, ¶ 6 (Fall 1999) . Each method of communicating on the Internet depends on the use of a unique domain name, also known as a fully qualified domain name, Intermatic, 947 F.Supp. at 1230, to locate a specific computer or network, Lockheed Martin, 985 F.Supp. at 951. Domain names have been compared to trademarks, addresses, or telephone numbers, but domain names, addresses, and telephone numbers, unlike some trademarks, are unique. MTV Networks, A Division of Viacom Int'l, Inc. v. Curry, 867 F.Supp. 202, 204 n. 2 (S.D.N.Y. 1994); Adam Chase, A Primer on Recent Domain Name Disputes, 3 Va. J.L. & Tech. 3, ¶ 2 (Spring 1998) . Each host computer that is more-or-less permanently connected to the Internet is assigned its own Internet Protocol (IP) number or address, which specifies the location of the computer. Tucker, supra, ¶ 12. See also Intermatic, 947 F.Supp. at 1230. The IP number is comprised of four groups of numbers, with each group separated by a decimal point called a dot. Tucker, supra, ¶¶ 12-13. See also Lockheed Martin, 985 F.Supp. at 952; Panavision Int'l, L.P. v. Toeppen, 945 F.Supp. 1296, 1299 (C.D.Cal. 1996), aff'd, 141 F.3d 1316 (9th Cir.1998). For example, the IP number for this Court is 208.210.219.101. Because Internet users can more readily remember a name as opposed to a lengthy sequence of numbers composing an IP number, each individual computer or network also has an alphanumeric name called a domain name. Lockheed Martin, 985 F.Supp. at 952; Panavision, 945 F.Supp. at 1299; Chase, supra, ¶ 2; Tucker, supra, ¶ 12. Reading from right to left, each portion of a domain name identifies a more specific area on the Internet, and as with IP numbers, is separated by a dot. For example, in this Court's domain name, courts.state.va.us, us is the top-level domain, [5] and is a country code or identifier which signifies that the domain name is registered in the United States. See Sally M. Abel, Trademark Issues in Cyberspace: The Brave New Frontier, 5 Mich. Telecomm. & Tech. L.Rev. 91, 93 n.4 (1999); Kenneth Sutherlin Dueker, Trademark Law Lost in Cyberspace: Trademark Protection for Internet Addresses, 9 Harv. J.L. & Tech. 483, 492 n.50, 494-95 n.59 (1996); Stuart D. Levi, The Domain Name System & Trademarks, 563 PLI/Pat 449, 453 (1999). [V]a, the second-level domain, [6] indicates a sub-network used in the Commonwealth of Virginia; state, the third-level domain, describes a sub-network used by the state government of Virginia; and courts further indicates a computer used by Virginia's judiciary. See Lockheed Martin, 985 F.Supp. at 952; Dueker, supra, at 492-93. If an Internet user knows the domain name for a particular Web site, such as this Court, the user can type the name into a Web browser, [7] and access that site directly without having to conduct what may be a time-consuming search. Panavision, 945 F.Supp. at 1299. See also MTV, 867 F.Supp. at 204 n. 2 (noting absence of satisfactory Internet equivalent of telephone company white pages or directory assistance). Even when a user does not know the specific domain name for a Web site, the user can often deduce the name and still find the site without performing a search. Most businesses on the Internet use the com top-level domain. See Lockheed Martin, 985 F.Supp. at 952. Thus, a user could intuitively find a company's Web site by typing into a Web browser the corporate or trade name, such as umbro.com. [8] Because the second-level domain name, i.e., umbro in the example, must be exclusive, a company would obviously want to use its recognized name in the second level of its Internet domain name. See id. See also Panavision, 945 F.Supp. at 1299 (businesses frequently register their names and trademarks as domain names); supra note 6. The advantage of having such a domain name thus explains the value that is attached to some domain names and the reason why litigation has occurred between trademark owners and domain name holders. [9] Id. See also Intermatic, 947 F.Supp. at 1233. NSI's role in the Internet domain name system is to manage certain domain name registrations. Lockheed Martin, 985 F.Supp. at 953. At one time, NSI held the exclusive right, pursuant to a contract with the National Science Foundation, to assign Internet domain names using the top-level domains gov, com, org, net, and edu, see id., but it now shares that right with other domain name registrars, Jason R. Berne, Court Intervention but not in a Classic Form: A Survey of Remedies in Internet Trademark Cases, 43 St. Louis U. L.J. 1157, 1168 (1999); Levi, supra, at 456; Register.comDomain Name Registration Services (visited Apr. 12, 2000) . NSI charges an initial registration fee of $70 for each new domain name. The registration is valid for two years and may be renewed on a yearly basis for a fee of $35 per year. [10] In assigning the second-level domain names, NSI performs basically two services. NSI first compares applications with a database of existing domain names to prevent the registration of identical second-level domain names. NSI then matches the domain name to the corresponding IP number for the desired Web site. Lockheed Martin, 985 F.Supp. at 953. Domain names are available essentially on a first-come, first-serve basis. MTV, 867 F.Supp. at 204 n. 2; Chase, supra, ¶ 5. NSI performs these services pursuant to domain name registration agreements. NSI does not independently verify a registrant's right to use a domain name, but does require a registrant to make certain representations and warranties, such as certifying that the registrant has the right to use the domain name and that such use does not interfere with the rights of another party. Panavision, 945 F.Supp. at 1299. A registrant also agrees to be bound by NSI's Domain Name Dispute Policy. In accordance with that policy, when litigation arises with regard to the registration and use of a domain name, NSI deposits control over the domain name into the registry of a court by furnishing the plaintiff in such litigation with a registry certificate. [11] In such instances, NSI agrees to be bound by the provisions of any temporary or final court orders regarding the disposition of a domain name without being named a party to the litigation, provided the domain name registrant is named as a party. The terms of the Domain Name Dispute Policy also authorize NSI, in its sole discretion, to revoke, suspend, transfer or otherwise modify a domain name registration upon thirty (30) calendar days prior written notice, or at such time as [NSI] receives a properly authenticated order from a court . . . requiring the revocation, suspension, transfer or modification of the domain name registration. NSI has also developed a procedure that allows a new domain name registrant to acquire a previously registered domain name with the consent of the former registrant of that name. The old registrant relinquishes its domain name registration, and the new registrant agrees to be bound by the terms of NSI's current Domain Name Registration Agreement and Domain Name Dispute Policy. NSI requires the old and new registrants to execute a form agreement titled Registrant Name Change Agreement[,] Version 3.0Transfers in order to effect this change.