[LINK] Aussie Domain Name Squatter - permitted by INA and auDA

[Adam Todd]

This story REALLY annoys me.  This guy has CLEARLY violated the policies of 
registration "knowingly" and "intentionally" registering a business name to 
register a domain name he "considered" someone else would want.

What's worse is INA and auDA let him get away with it.  And it's not the 
first time he's done it.

I'll bet he isn't trading commercially under his NSW Registered business 
name.  I'm STUNNED that Seven don't sue him for misrepresentation and 
probably use of their trademark.  (Surely Seven registered "sevendigital" 
as a trade mark??

I also object to NetRegistry taking claim to being the source of domain 
name data for com.au when auDA has a VERY clear copyright notice an 
policy.  Maybe it's about time auDA did something about that too.


http://www.smh.com.au/news/0103/25/national/national16.html


Cyber whiz nets digital address ahead of Seven
By Daniel Dasey
A CYBER entrepreneur has snapped up a potentially valuable internet address 
ahead of the Seven network.
Stephen Muller, who successfully registered the business name Sydney 2000, 
is the owner of the web address sevendigital.com.au.
He is offering to hand over the rights to the uniform resource locator 
(URL) to the network provided it makes a sizable
donation to charity.
But Seven claims it is not interested and will continue using another 
address to promote its new digital service.
All Australia's major networks began broadcasting in a digital format on 
January 1 this year.
Inquiries by The Sun-Herald last week showed that both the Nine and Ten 
networks owned websites which reflected the new medium.
The Ten network is showcasing its digital television capabilities at the 
tendigital.com.au website and offers consumers advice on how to use the 
technology.
The Nine network uses its NineMSN.com.au site to promote its digital 
capabilities. However, the network also owns the currently inactive 
ninedigital.com.au site.
Mr Muller last week said he was amazed the sevendigital URL was available 
when he was looking at registering a web address in December last year.
Nine registered its digital address in May 2000 while Ten claimed
its digital URL in January 2000.
Mr Muller registered the address for $125 to promote his business running 
internet directories in seven States and selling digital television set top 
boxes.
Mr Muller, who last year attracted the ire of SOCOG by using the business 
name Sydney 2000 Fashion Expo, said he had a legitimate claim to the 
sevendigitial site.
"I'm not cybersquatting on any name," he said. "I have the business name 
legally and the [URL] legally and I am using it."
Mr Muller said however he would part with the name if Network Seven was 
prepared to make a "sizable donation" to charity.
A Seven spokesman said the network promoted its digital capabilities 
through the www.7digital.i7.
com.au website.
The spokesman said the standardised addresses, such as www.harrys
practice.i7.com.au and www.i7news.
com.au were used for network websites.
He said the network would not accept the offer to acquire the sevendigital 
website.
"We're not interested in taking up his offer at the moment," the spokesman 
said.
Internet addresses have changed hands for tens of thousands of dollars in 
Australia.
In 1988 entrepreneur Brendan Yell sold AOL.com.au to US internet giant 
America On Line for an estimated $50,000.
Who Owns What
Address Owner
ninedigital.com.au Nine Digital Television
tendigital.com.au Network Ten
sevendigital.com.au Stephen Muller
abcdigital.co.au ABC Digital Corporation
sbsdigital.com.au Still available
7digital.i7.com.au Network Seven
Source: NetRegistry.au.com
The Sun-Herald

** Remember:  Email is for Email, FTP is for transfer of files.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adam Todd					http://adamtodd.ah.net
Business Development, Technology, Domain Registration and Network Advisory
Phone +61 2 8825 6122	- Todd Corporation	http://www.todd.inoz.com
Fax   +61 2 8825 6199	- AHNET			http://www.ah.net
			- AURSC			http://www.aursc.ah.net
Chair IRSC (http://www.irsc.ah.net) Worlds 2nd Largest Root Server Network!
Baby AJ Kidnapped by NSW Government Sept 98 - See http://docs.ajtodd.com
PROUD FATHER of #2 son BJ Todd born 9:33 AM 5 Mar 2000!  8lb 12 oz!!!!
Telstra Reseller and Telstra Convey Member (Not an Employee of Telstra)
     Get the DOMAIN NAME HANDBOOK NOW  http://www.domainhandbook.com