Nominet, the profit with a purpose company responsible for running the .UK namespace, has today announced the appointment of nine new independent Experts for its award-winning Dispute Resolution Service (DRS). This brings the total number of DRS Experts available to deliberate over domain name disputes to 47.
As a responsible registry, Nominet established the DRS in 2001 to offer an efficient, transparent method of resolving disputes relating to .UK domain names and seeks to settle disputes through mediation and, where this is not possible, through an independent Expert decision.
Since the existing panel of 38 Experts was appointed in 2011, the .UK family has grown from 9.6 million to over 13.3 million domains under management. Over the same time, the number of disputes has remained stable at around 0.007% of .UK domain names registered.
The most common outcome of a dispute (32%) is a Summary decision by the Expert – available when no response from the Respondent was filed. Where the DRS has been able to offer mediation, most (43%) are settled at that stage, with 30% electing for an Expert decision.
The newly appointed Experts are Christopher Hall, David Laurence Kreider, Matthew Lavy, Micah Ogilvie, Flip Petillion, Jacqueline Reid, Simon Sellars, Catherine Slater and Nial Vivian.
Click here to see a full list of Experts.
Eleanor Bradley, MD of Registry Solutions at Nominet says: “With thousands of domain names registered each week, it’s inevitable that some might cause disagreements. Appointing these additional Experts is part of our ongoing commitment to keep the .UK namespace free from abuse, and to ensure registrants continue to receive timely decisions on domain disputes. Also, with the Right of Registration (RoR) period coming to an end in June this year, we want to be sure we’re ready to manage any increase in disputes that may arise – although we see no evidence of this yet.”
Nick Wenban-Smith, General Counsel for Nominet comments: “Last year we saw an increase in the number of complaints resolved through Mediation, up from 77 cases to 93, and while the time taken for DRS cases to be closed decreased from 57 to around 50 days, we’re not complacent about ensuring we have a full complement of Experts on hand should they be required. It’s no secret that the efficient and transparent method of resolving disputes is thanks to the many Experts who generously offer their time and expertise, as well as the robust processes we have in place.”
Here is a step-by-step guide to the Dispute Resolution Service, and details of decided cases.
-ENDS-
Editor’s notes:
- See the full DRS report for 2018 here.
- Nominet established the DRS in 2001 to offer an efficient, transparent method of resolving disputes relating to .UK domain names. The DRS seeks to settle disputes through mediation and, where this is not possible, through an independent expert decision.
- To make a complaint through the DRS, you need to have rights (such as a trade mark) in a name which is the same as or similar to the domain name you are concerned about. You also need to prove that the domain name has been registered or used in a manner that has unfairly taken advantage of your rights.
- The DRS can usually provide a quicker and cheaper resolution to disputes than going through the courts as this service is based on free, confidential mediation. In the event of deadlock, complainants can pay to appoint an independent expert from a panel to make a binding adjudication. All decisions are made public via Nominet’s website.
- View more details about the DRS.
About Nominet
Nominet is driven by a commitment to use technology to improve connectivity, security and inclusivity online. For over 20 years, Nominet has run the .UK internet infrastructure, developing an expertise in the Domain Name System (DNS) that now underpins sophisticated network analytics used by governments and enterprises to mitigate cyber threats. The company provides registry services for top level domains, and is exploring applications for a range of emerging technologies. A profit with a purpose company, Nominet supports initiatives that contribute to a vibrant digital future. www.nominet.uk