The privacy protection of domain names’ registrants can be confusing sometimes. Specially, when brands are looking for any domain names that are infringing upon their trademarks. A confusion can arrive. Let’s see this in today’s domain story.
GLOCK, Inc is an Austrian origin weapons manufacturing company. Gaston Glock, an engineer, designed a new model of pistol that became very popular, especially in America. 65% of government agencies in the USA use a Glock pistol. This pistol is the most popular pistol in the world.
However, it found that two domain names were using its trademark names to sell their guns online without their consent. These domain names were OfficialGlock19Shop.com and GlockArmouryshop.com. Both of these domain names had a very similar layout according to Glock. However, personal information was hidden.
In such a situation Glock considered that both of these domain names were registered by a common person. It filed a UDRP case against these domains and claimed common ownership in the complaint as well.
However, the panel found that although both the domain names might have some similarity they are both different and registered by different entities. The personal information disclosed by Privacy at the request of the Forum, presented that both the domain names had different registrants. Moreover the panel found that the domain name GlockArmouryshop.com was asking for License information at the end while the other domain name was not. Hence, the complaint for GlockArmouryshop.com was canceled.
The panel found that the domain name OfficialGlock19Shop.com was indeed infringing upon the Complainant’s mark and frauding the customers. The domain name took money from the people but never supplied the guns. The panel transferred the domain name to the complainant.
So, you saw how the hiding of personal information can lead to confusion. Confusions that need a distinguished panel to clear out.
You can read the case in full detail here.
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