Cybersquatting success for Disney and Nestle

Nestle and Disney have won cases against cybersquatters who registered a number of domain names in bad faith.

Both companies alleged that the cybersquatters were using the registered websites for monetary gain.

Disney approached the National Arbitration Forum, asking it to transfer the rights to a number of domain names which had infringed several of the company's trademarks.

The domain names were being used for profit using references to the company's Little Mermaid, Hannah Montana and Mary Poppins intellectual property.

Disney demanded that marypoppinsonbroadway.com, marypoppinstickets.net, marypoppinstickets.org, hannahmontanaticketsonline.com, and littlemermaidticketsny.com were handed over by the cybersqautters.

Nestle filed a request with the Intellectual Property Organisation's (WIPO) Arbitration and Mediation Centre, asking for the domain name nestlecareers.com to be handed over.

The website linked to another webpage containing advertising links.

Both firms had their requests granted.

In related news, WIPO's arbitration process has been accused of not deterring future cybersquatters from indulging in the practice by Computer World.

Written by Debra Hastings-Henry