Category: Domain Name Law

The global nature of domain name ownership and trade has opened unprecedented opportunities for individuals and businesses to engage in cross-border digital asset transactions. However, this international reach also brings complex legal risks, particularly in the realm of sanctions compliance. As domain names are increasingly recognized as valuable intangible assets—sometimes fetching six- or seven-figure sums…

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a foundational layer of the internet, mapping human-readable domain names to IP addresses and enabling seamless navigation across websites, email servers, and online services. However, this same infrastructure has long been exploited by malicious actors for harmful purposes, including phishing, malware distribution, botnet command and control, and other forms…

The Stopping Harmful Offers on Platforms by Screening Against Fakes in E-commerce Act, commonly referred to as the SHOP SAFE Act, represents a significant legislative development in the fight against the online sale of counterfeit goods. Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and under continued consideration in various legislative sessions, the SHOP SAFE Act…

The country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) .io, originally assigned to the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), has long attracted significant attention due to its popularity among technology startups, cryptocurrency platforms, and internet service providers. Its two-letter code is widely interpreted in the tech world as a shorthand for “input/output,” which has made it a desirable digital…

The .br country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) is the digital identity of Brazil on the internet, managed and regulated by the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br). As one of the most tightly regulated ccTLDs in Latin America, .br domain registration is subject to a unique and rigorous set of rules, particularly concerning the identification and taxation…

Internationalized domain name country-code top-level domains (IDN ccTLDs) have expanded the accessibility and localization of the internet by allowing domain names to be registered in non-Latin scripts such as Arabic, Cyrillic, Devanagari, Chinese, Thai, and others. These domains represent country-specific namespaces rendered in native character sets—for example, السعودية. (Saudi Arabia), рф. (Russian Federation), or 中国.…

Drafting a domain purchase agreement that is legally sound, enforceable, and tailored to the nuances of digital asset transactions is essential to protecting both the buyer and the seller in the domain name marketplace. Unlike tangible property, domain names are intangible assets governed by a web of contracts, registry rules, and jurisdictional variations in intellectual…

In the domain name marketplace, where transactions often reach into five-, six-, or even seven-figure sums, verifying the chain of title before purchasing a domain is not merely a best practice—it is a legal and financial imperative. The chain of title refers to the historical sequence of ownership for a domain name, documenting the passage…

In the domain name industry, where high-value transactions often occur in opaque or lightly regulated environments, domain brokers play a crucial role in facilitating introductions, negotiating terms, and executing transfers. As intermediaries, brokers commonly enter into commission agreements that set forth their compensation terms, authority, and responsibilities. However, beyond these contractual mechanics lies a more…

The United Kingdom’s Online Safety Act, enacted in 2023, represents a sweeping overhaul of the country’s regulatory approach to digital content and platform accountability. While much of the public and media attention has focused on the Act’s implications for social media platforms, search engines, and user-generated content, a lesser-known but equally significant aspect of the…