I really hate seeing UDRP filings for three letter .com domain names. In my opinion, three letter acronyms usually have many different meanings, and it’s generally tough to say who would have a right to own the name.
I was checking the World Intellectual Property Organization’s website to see what UDRP filings have been recently made, and I saw one for the seemingly descriptive PPD.com. According to the filing report, Pharmaceutical Product Development, Inc. and Pharmaco Investments, Inc. filed a UDRP for PPD.com in mid-April.
In looking at a historical thumbnail of PPD.com, I don’t see how the domain name is infringing upon this company’s brand. In fact, there seems there was even a vulgar message splashed across the front (see historical thumbnail from May 2008). At the present time, PPD.com looks to be a standard parking page without much of a focus on a particular industry, so it doesn’t jump out at me as to why the company thinks they deserve the domain name.
Some PPD uses/meanings/acronyms:
- Postponed
- Stock ticker for Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.
- PPD Worldwide
- PPD, Inc.
- Points Per Day
- Philadelphia Police Department
- Post Partum Depression
AcronymFinder.com found a total of 71 meanings for PPD, including some of those mentioned above, and also including the name of the company that filed the UDRP.
This will be an interesting case to follow since I don’t believe the domain name is being used in bad faith (at least in my opinion). I’ve never heard of the company that filed the complaint, and it might be tough to prove a bad faith registration.
“…so it doesn’t jump out at me as to why the company thinks they deserve the domain name.”
Because corporate attorneys think they are more clever than those in the domian industry and corporate executives have an inflated sense of how important and universal their company and brand really is. Shocked that someone would want 5 figures for THEIR name. Get ready for a smackdown!
What baffles me is the fact that owners of LLL domains still put themselves at risk by parking them. If you value a generic domain and don’t want to risk losing it, don’t park it or put automated ads (adsense) on the site.
Dan – Nothing wrong with parking, it’s a legitimate monetization business, often used when defending UDRP proceedings. You’d be surprised how many LLL .com domains earn steady revenue from parking.
I fail to see how that company might have the exclusive right to own a random combination of three letters. It’s clear as sunlight that their goal is to grab the domain without spending a dollar.
Clear case of Domain Reverse Hijack attempt. I hope they get what they deserve.
@ Gnanes
I think we need to see the complainant’s argument before drawing that conclusion.
This is what keeps the lawyers working-self employment.
BS jobs.
“It’s clear as sunlight that their goal is to grab the domain without spending a dollar.”
They have to spend at least $1,500 in fees to file the UDRP, then there’s the attorneys’ fees at $350 per hour, etc. They’re spending dollars alright. But, their inflated sense of entitlement is showing for sure.
The lawyer’s thinking it’s a roll of the dice. If they can get it for their client for just $10,000 in fees by following the UDRP process, then they avoid having to pay potentially $1 million+ for a three letter .com with popular letters. That’s probably what the current registrant asked for it and the CEO thought it was highway robbery so he sicked the lawyers on the guy. They are going the entitlement route to see if they can get it cheaper. If the process fails, then they’ll try the courts, or they’ll finally come to the table and deal with the guy. I think many people go the UDRP route just because it’s there. “Why not try it?”
No chance they win at WIPO, now if they sue under the cybersquatters act in Fed Court they win. And the moron judges hearing these cases have NO CLUE, I know of a huge case right now where the owners of the name aren’t even on the case. Yet some 70+ year old dinosaur fed judge thinks he can plow along in violation of every WIPO case law there is. So the danger isn’t in wipo, they keep the name there, the danger is the Fed courts hitting owners of the names and even companies that don’t own the assets. We got some stories on a new Fed case just like this. The people suing ignored privacy, said this person owns it, even when privacy was pierced, the moron judge is still letting the case go forward. So Fed courts need to be BITCH SLAPPED over this stuff. Just a heads up
Defendant, sadly, lost this one:
http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/case.jsp?case_id=20622
But I guess his history of losing other names clearly breaching trademarks did not help him.