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Previously Abused Labels Integrated into Trademark Clearinghouse Claims Service

18 October 2013

The Abused Domain Name label service for the Trademark Database (TMDB) Claims Service is now available. This support service complements the Abused Domain Name labels support service for Trademark Verification – together they will help rights owners protect labels that have a history of being abusively used or registered in the Domain Names Space.

The Abused Domain Name label support service for Trademark Claims consists of integrating into the Claims process the additional labels identified by the Verification support service (read more about Abused Domain Name label Verification). The Trademark Clearinghouse will add the verified abused labels to the list of Domain Name labels subject to the Claims process.

All new gTLD Registries are required to offer a Trademark Claims period of at least 90 days upon the initial launch of the TLD. During this period, the Registry must cross-reference domain registration requests with the list of Domain Name labels subject to Claims. If an attempt is made to register a domain name matching a mark recorded in the Clearinghouse, the party trying to register the name will be notified of the match. When the domain name in question matches a previously abused label, information about the rights holder and UDRP case will be included in the Claims Notice shown to, and acknowledged by the registrant. If the notified party continues to pursue registration of the name matching the abused label, the registration will be included in the List of Registered Domain Names (LORDN) transmitted by the Registry to the Trademark Database (TMDB). Using a Notice of Registered Domain Name, the TMDB will inform the trademark's holder or agent that a domain name covered by an abused label has been registered.

Trademark Claims services are supported by the Trademark Database, which is administered by IBM under contract with ICANN. The functionality, which became operational in August 2013, will support startup periods for the first new gTLDs, expected later this year.

Learn more about the Trademark Clearinghouse »