Calls for ICANN trademark action

It is time for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to take action to prevent trademark infringing domain names, it is claimed.

Alex Tajirian, of industry resource CircleID, argues it is ICANN's responsibility to ensure domain names in no way infringe on trademarks.

He calls for trademark owners to increase pressure on the body to make it assume more responsibility for trademark protection.

"With registration requests through one of the ICANN-approved registries, ICANN, as a creator of the asset, is responsible for insuring that the asset does not violate any laws," Mr Tajirian suggests.

He accuses the organisation of avoiding any responsibility for trademarks.

ICANN is a not-for-profit body created in 1998. The purpose of the organisation is to keep the web "secure, stable and interoperable".

However, it highlights that it has no control over online content such as spam, or any access issues.