Domain name disputes up 30%

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 1 Sep 2008 at 12:03

Disputes over who is the legal owner of company domain names have risen by more than 30% over the past year, according to a leading web host.

Fasthosts claims that companies often fail to pay proper attention to the legal ownership of their websites.

Registration of domain names is often left to individual employees or third-party web designers, causing problems when those people part company with the business.

Companies are increasingly being dragged into disputes over the legal ownership of such domains at renewal times, with domain registries often left to adjudicate. This often lengthy procedure can lead to website downtime, while the dispute is settled.

"Companies should view their domain names as valuable intellectual property," claims Steve Holford, Fasthosts' chief marketing officer. "Businesses can save themselves from potential losses and disruption by ensuring that every domain is registered continually in the proprietor's own name".

Fasthosts is employing its own "Domain Release Team" to help businesses reclaim disputed domains.