[GNSO-RPM-WG] ICE domain name seizures -- potential source of data for RPM PDP?
Mitch Stoltz
mitch at eff.org
Wed Jan 2 19:02:25 UTC 2019
I disagree—more information about these seizures could absolutely inform
our work. It would be useful to know what percentage of those
million-plus domain names were seized for reasons relating to trademark
infringement in the domain name itself versus some objectionable content
in the website, and whether the claims actually relate to trademark or
copyright. Knowing whether ICE seizures are in fact addressing some of
the same conduct as the ICANN RPMs, and what if any due process is being
afforded, will provide an important basis of comparison, because the
RPMs don't operate in a vacuum.
Mitch Stoltz
Senior Staff Attorney, EFF | 415-436-9333 x142
https://www.eff.org/donate | https://act.eff.org/
On 1/2/19 9:58 AM, Jonathan Frost via GNSO-RPM-WG wrote:
> I think Phil has a good point here. Without a meaningful way to
> distinguish why exactly each domain was seized, the data would not be
> very useful beyond the mere knowledge that local governments are
> enforcing local IP laws.
>
> Jonathan
>
> On Wed, Jan 2, 2019 at 12:47 PM Corwin, Philip via GNSO-RPM-WG
> <gnso-rpm-wg at icann.org <mailto:gnso-rpm-wg at icann.org>> wrote:
>
> Aside from the daunting challenge of analyzing a list of more than
> one million domain names, if such a list could be assembled I'm
> not sure it could inform our work in any meaningful way.
>
>
>
> The new gTLD RPMs are focused on preventing and responding to a
> very narrow type of trademark infringement -- cybersquatting where
> the domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a
> trademark, where the registrant has no legitimate interest in the
> DN and the domain is being used in bad faith to infringe trademark.
>
>
>
> While some of the seized domains referenced in the ICE press
> release may have met that test, many (likely the majority)
> probably did not, as the release makes clear that the primary
> focus was not the domain name but the sale/distribution of
> counterfeit goods and copyright-infringing material --
>
> More than 1 million copyright-infringing website
> domain names selling counterfeit automotive parts, electrical
> components, personal care items and other fake goods were
> criminally and civilly seized in the past year through
> the combined efforts of law- enforcement agencies across the
> world, high-profile industry representatives and
> anti-counterfeiting associations... The IPR Center, which
> stands at the forefront of the U.S. government's
> response to IP theft, worked directly with key international
> law- enforcement authorities and industry organizations
> representing the electronics sector, luxury brand-name designers,
> film and entertainment and several entities specializing in
> apparel and accessories through the major enforcement
> effort.... Investigations led by HSI resulted in the removal of
> copyright-infringing websites that sold counterfeit
> airbags and integrated sensors, both co
> mmodities that present a potential safety hazard. An
> investigation based in Louisiana led to the seizure of five
> website domain names - including Chinaseatbelt.com;
> Airbagpart.com; Chinasafetybelt.com; Fareurope.com; and
> Far-europe.com - involved in the sale of fake automotive parts. A
> joint case between HSI and Department of Defense
> investigative agencies resulted in the removal of
> PRBlogics.com, a copyright-infringing website offering
> counterfeit integrated sensors.
>
>
>
> So the ICANN RPMs are focused on the "apples" of a very specific
> and narrow type of TM infringement that looks at domain content
> for evidence of bad faith use, while the government domain
> seizures do not focus on the domain name but the "oranges" use of
> the website to distribute counterfeit goods or infringed
> copyrighted content.
>
>
>
> Aside from that, assembling the domain names would likely be
> impossible, given that the release makes clear that the
> million-plus seizures is a cumulative annual tally based on
> actions taken by law enforcement agencies around the world.
>
>
>
> Finally, as the Techdirt blog states, the release is somewhat
> confusing in regard to what IP infringement was actually involved---
>
> Still, it seems notable that in late November, ICE proudly
> announced that it had seized over a million websites, though
> frankly, the press release raises a hell of a lot more questions
> than it answers. First off, it appears that ICE has no clue that
> copyright and trademark are entirely different things.
>
> More than 1 million copyright-infringing website domain names
> selling counterfeit automotive parts, electrical components,
> personal care items and other fake goods were criminally and
> civilly seized in the past year through the combined efforts of
> law-enforcement agencies across the world, high-profile industry
> representatives and anti-counterfeiting associations.
>
> "Copyright infringing website domain names" already is a weird
> description (were the URLs themselves infringing?) but it's made
> even weirder by saying that these sites were seized because they
> were selling counterfeits. Counterfeiting is a trademark issue,
> not a copyright one. Those laws are entirely different.
>
>
>
> In conclusion, unless we are contemplating expansion of the ICANN
> RPMs beyond a narrow form of cybersquatting to cover sale of
> counterfeit goods and websites infringing copyright (a proposition
> for which consensus could not likely be achieved), even if the
> million-plus domain names could be obtained their relationship to
> our work seems tangential at best.
>
>
>
>
>
> Philip S. Corwin
>
> Policy Counsel
>
> VeriSign, Inc.
>
> 12061 Bluemont Way
>
> Reston, VA 20190
>
> 703-948-4648/Direct
>
> 571-342-7489/Cell
>
>
>
> "Luck is the residue of design" -- Branch Rickey
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: GNSO-RPM-WG [mailto:gnso-rpm-wg-bounces at icann.org
> <mailto:gnso-rpm-wg-bounces at icann.org>] On Behalf Of George Kirikos
> Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2019 11:48 AM
> To: gnso-rpm-wg <gnso-rpm-wg at icann.org <mailto:gnso-rpm-wg at icann.org>>
> Subject: [EXTERNAL] [GNSO-RPM-WG] ICE domain name seizures --
> potential source of data for RPM PDP?
>
>
>
> Hi folks,
>
>
>
> Happy New Year.
>
>
>
> There was news about ICE seizing over 1 million domain names, see:
>
>
>
> https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/over-million-websites-seized-global-operation
>
>
>
> https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20181213/18030341224/ice-seizes-over-1-million-websites-with-no-due-process-apparently-unaware-that-copyright-trademark-are-different.shtml
>
>
>
> I was curious whether anyone (maybe a registrar, registry, or TM
> holders who were involved, i.e. the "industry partners") has and
> can share the complete list of domain names that were seized, as
> that might be a potential source of data for our work.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
>
> George Kirikos
>
> 416-588-0269
>
> http://www.leap.com/
>
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