BRUSSELS — There have been 19 .XXX domain name disputes filed since the top-level domain's launch, with 13 of the 19 so far resolved — all in favor of complainants.
The disputes, filed under the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy, or UDRP, involve some of the top mainstream brands, including Kay Jewelers and oil giant Valero, which both have scored .XXX victories with mediators. But none of the cases so far involve adult entertainment companies as complainants.
In the past month, two new complaints have surfaced — Novo Nordisk, which filed over NoveNordisk.xxx, and Red Bull, which filed over NewYorkRedBulls.xxx.
Through operator ICM Registry, .XXX domain names became available for the first time last year through various roll-out stages; general availability began last December through accredited registrars.
The following .XXX UDRP cases have been filed so far :
- 20th Century Fox filed a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum over the domain name FoxStudios.xxx. Last month, 20th Century dropped the complaint.
- Sterling Jewelers submitted a complaint with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center over KayJewelers.xxx. Arbitrators awarded the site to the jewelry retailer.
- Valero Energy filed a complaint with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center over Valero.xxx. The case ended up "terminated" without a tranfer, but a Whois record shows the domain was transferred March 7 to the oil giant. Valero.xxx originally was registered on Dec. 6 to J Leegsma of the Netherlands.
- Finans Bank filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center over FinansBank.xxx.
- Denizbank A.S. submitted a complaint with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center over DenizBank.xxx.
- Borçelik Çelik Sanayi Ticaret Anonim Sirketi filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center over Borcelik.xxx.
- Borusan Holding Anonim Sirketi filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center over BorusanHolding.xxx domain. Borusan of Turkey was awarded the BorusanHolding.xxx domain from Mahmut Erdogan, who did not respond to the complaint.
- Richard Branson filed with National Arbitration Forum over the domain name RichardBranson.xxx. Branson won his case.
- VIPINDIRIM filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center over Markafoni.xxx.
- HEB Grocery Co. filed and won with its case over HEB.xxx through the National Arbitration Forum.
- Complainant George Streit filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center over Femjoy.xxx.
- The University of Texas Board of Regents won its case against Charles Cho and Soonyoung Interaction over UTSystem.xxx. Cho said the "UT" site was motivated by the "creation of a business model focusing on the adult industry specifically targeting the Asian audience." Later, the site re-directed to Sex.com. In that case, arbitrators from the National Arbitration Forum said the registrants gave the university an ultimatum: "pay $20,000 and threatened to post adult-oriented content if his request did not prosper."
- Baylor University filed with the National Arbitration Forum over BaylorGirls.xxx. BaylorGirls.xxx was handed over to Baylor University, after the registrant failed to respond to arbitrators, who ruled the domain name was registered in bad faith. As evidence of that bad faith, mediators said that the registrant also submitted WHOIS information for multiple other domain names, including PennStateGirls.xxx, NYUGirls.xxx, VillanovaGirls.xxx, PurdueGirls.xxx and ClemsonGirls.xxx, among others.
- HemNet Sverige AB filed with the WIPO Arbitraiton and Meditaion Center,over the domain name Hemnet.xxx .
- TDBank filed with the National Arbitration Forum over TDBank.xxx.
- BGZ S.A. filed with the WIPO Arbitraiton and Meditaion Center over BGZ.xxx.
- Bass Pro Shops filed with the National Arbitration Forum over Basspro.xxx .
- Novo Nordisk A/S filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center over NovoNordisk.xxx.
- Red Bull GmbH filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center over NewYorkRedBulls.xxx domain name.