Avoiding Legal Trouble While You Register a Domain Name
A Web Hosting Article Contributed by Raj Rao
Why Should You Register a Domain Name?
You can register a domain name, as long as you have a reasonable right over it, either by way of a Trade Mark (registered or not), brand name, business name, personal name or even a name that is creative but appropriate for the purpose of registering the domain name.
You should register a domain name because it gives you a distinct identity on the Internet. Global users of the Internet will have difficulty finding your content or shop on the Internet if you do not register a domain name.
Legalities You Should Know before You Register a Domain Name
If you register a domain name that legally belongs to somebody else, you have the risk of losing the Domain Name in the future.
A Domain Name that exactly matches with a Registered Trade Mark (especially popular Trade Marks) should be avoided. You can however register a generic term representing a service or industry.
It has been established that any Domain Name registered by you should have a meaning or sound like a word that is as close to your purpose of registering the domain name as possible.
A Domain Name that has a combination of words or hyphen or the Domain is registered in a Registry other than .COM, but includes one or more trade marks, can also be treated as an infringement on the concerned Trade Mark.
Tips to Help You Register a Domain Name?
You should register a domain name safely if you intend to use it for a long time. Here are some tips for you to consider while you register a Domain name:
a)Make a list of possible words associated with the purpose of registering the Domain Name. For instance, if you intend to sell Perfumes online, consider all the possible words associated with Perfumes and short list them as per your preference.
b)Check the USA Trade Marks Registry which is available online to delete those names that are very close to a registered Trade Mark.
c) Consider appointing a Trade Mark Attorney who has the capability to search for registered Trade Marks globally and advice you on the same.
d)If you cannot find a good Domain Name, invent one using combination of words and hyphen.
e)Search on the Internet and make a list of all the websites that are related to your line of business. Identify all the concepts associated with the Domain Names used by your competitor and locate some concept that has not been exploited well. Create a Domain Name based on that concept.
f)Finally, visit a good Domain Registry that offers you suggestions for Domain Names based on keywords supplied by you. Several Domain Registrars like Dotster.com or Register.com also maintain a list of Domain names that have expired or have not been renewed. These are good sources of Domain Names, although there could be possible issues with Trade Marks with Domain Names that have recently expired.
