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I have a Geo+ generic keyword domain .com that happens to match the name of an organization (who is using the .net domain and points the .org to the .net). Think Florida Dog Rescue and FloridaDogRescue.com (hypothetical example).
I had a long chat over email today with the head of "Florida Dog Rescue" and they are giving me the impression that they feel they are entitled to the domain (they went though the story about how their ex-spouse refused to hand over the domains during a divorce and have no idea how I got the domain (hand registration). They also claim that they have lost a lot of donations because people type in .com and think their organization is not legitimate (yet my parking stats show only 6 visitors this year).
I decided not to sell it because other dog rescue organizations have asked me to keep it so I can set up an unaffiliated site for all dog rescue organizations in Florida could discuss laws, situations, chat, pictures, etc.. of their rescued dogs. I told the person this but came to the agreement that I would take it off parking (I was going to start a site this weekend) and put a note that I am not affiliated with them (seriously, I'm being really nice now).
Talking to some other dog rescue organizations it turns out this person is extremely passionate and can be unstable at times. I highly doubt they are going to try anything legal but I'd like to have some information to back me up if push does come to shove.
Here are some more facts:
Florida Dog Rescue (again, hypothetical) does have a 501(c)(3)
Florida Dog Rescue was formed in 1999
FloridaDogRescue.net and .org were registered in 2006
There is no trademark for Florida Dog Rescue
The organization is a Florida based Dog Rescue (but doesn't cover the whole state)
FloridaDogRescue.com was registered in 2011 (my domain)
The domain is a pure geo (Florida) + generic keyword (Dog Rescue) that will be used for the geo location and "dog rescue".
So, has there been WIPO cases for Geo+ generic keyword domains?
I had a long chat over email today with the head of "Florida Dog Rescue" and they are giving me the impression that they feel they are entitled to the domain (they went though the story about how their ex-spouse refused to hand over the domains during a divorce and have no idea how I got the domain (hand registration). They also claim that they have lost a lot of donations because people type in .com and think their organization is not legitimate (yet my parking stats show only 6 visitors this year).
I decided not to sell it because other dog rescue organizations have asked me to keep it so I can set up an unaffiliated site for all dog rescue organizations in Florida could discuss laws, situations, chat, pictures, etc.. of their rescued dogs. I told the person this but came to the agreement that I would take it off parking (I was going to start a site this weekend) and put a note that I am not affiliated with them (seriously, I'm being really nice now).
Talking to some other dog rescue organizations it turns out this person is extremely passionate and can be unstable at times. I highly doubt they are going to try anything legal but I'd like to have some information to back me up if push does come to shove.
Here are some more facts:
Florida Dog Rescue (again, hypothetical) does have a 501(c)(3)
Florida Dog Rescue was formed in 1999
FloridaDogRescue.net and .org were registered in 2006
There is no trademark for Florida Dog Rescue
The organization is a Florida based Dog Rescue (but doesn't cover the whole state)
FloridaDogRescue.com was registered in 2011 (my domain)
The domain is a pure geo (Florida) + generic keyword (Dog Rescue) that will be used for the geo location and "dog rescue".
So, has there been WIPO cases for Geo+ generic keyword domains?