Who Could Have Imagined It Would Turn Out to Be This ‘Sublime’? Twenty-Five Years of the UDRP, The Initial WIPO-ICA UDRP Review and How Domain Name Dispute Resolution in the ‘.za’ Domain Compares
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/2522-3062/20885Keywords:
Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), Initial WIPO/ICA UDRP Review, ICANN Phase 2 UDRP Review, South African Domain Name Dispute Resolution Regulations, WIPO Arbitration and Mediation CenterAbstract
The Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) was developed in response to the need for the timely and effective resolution of disputes where protected trade marks were registered as domain names. Since its inception in 1999, it has proven to be a largely fair and effective remedy against ‘cybersquatting’, the bad-faith registration of domain names in violation of trade mark rights. Twenty-five years later, experts are reviewing the policy through the World Intellectual Property Organization-Internet Commerce Association (WIPO-ICA) UDRP Review Process to consider possible amendments to the global domain name dispute resolution system. The Initial Report of the WIPO-ICA UDRP Review Project Team, intended to inform the future Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers Policy Development Process, is analysed to identify recent UDRP trends, reasoning and best practice and to compare them with South Africa’s ‘.za’ domain name dispute resolution system.
References
Abell J, ‘Dot-Com Revolution Starts with a Whimper’ WIRED (15 March 2010) <https://www.wired.com/2010/03/0315-symbolics-first-dotcom/> accessed 14 September 2025.
Alberts W, ‘The New Domain Name Dispute Resolution Structure: The Regulations and the First Decisions Considered’ (2008) 15 Juta Business Law Journal.
Barlow JP, ‘The Economy of Ideas: A Framework for Rethinking Patents and Copyrights in the Digital Age’ WIRED (3 March 1994) reprint <https://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/classes/6.805/articles/int-prop/barlow-economy-of-ideas.html> accessed 14 September 2025.
Barlow JP, ‘A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace’ (2019) 18 Duke Law and Technology Review (Reprinted from John Perry Barlow, ‘A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace’ Electronic Frontier Foundation (8 February 1996)) <https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1337&context=dltr> accessed 14 September 2025.
Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, ‘Brief History of the Domain Name System’ (2000) <https://cyber.harvard.edu/icann/pressingissues2000/briefingbook/dnshistory.html> [https://perma.cc/8L9T-LWAN] accessed 15 September 2025.
Bernstein D, ‘The Levin Lecture’ (21 July 2025) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN_ATdFStDY> accessed 15 September 2025.
Catania S, ‘Domain name industry 2025: Current Landscape and Key Market Data’ CircleID Magazine (25 March 2025) <https://circleid.com/%20posts/domain-industry-2025-current-landscape-and-key-market-data> accessed 25 August 2025.
Chairperson of the SAIIPL ADR Committee, ‘Letter to ZADNA: Proposed Amendments to .za Alternative Dispute Resolution Regulations’ (7 August 2025).
Chaisse J and Friedmann D, ‘Law of the Digital Domain: Trademarks, Domain Names and the AI Frontier’ (2024) 64 IDEA The Law Review of the Franklin Pierce Center for IP.
Clearinghouse Database <https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/about/trademark-clearinghouse> accessed 21 August 2025.
Dharma L and Januitis K, ‘25 Domain Name Statistics and Trends to Know in 2025’ Hostinger (26 August 2025) <25 Domain name statistics and trends to know in 2025> accessed 23 September 2025.
Domain Name Stat <https://domainnamestat.com/> accessed 25 September 2025.
Donahey S, ‘Divergence in the UDRP and the Need for Appellate Review’ (2002) 5 Journal of Internet Law.
Dundas N and Mulaudzi T, ‘Domain Name ADR Statistics 2007–June 2025’ DNS.Business (4 June 2025).
Flinders C, ‘The First Ever 20 Domain Names Registered’ Computer Weekly (3 September 2009) <https://www.computerweekly.com/news/1280090622/The-first-ever-20-domain-names-registered> accessed 14 September 2025.
Froomkin M, ‘ICANN’s “Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy”—Causes and (Partial) Cures’ (2002) 67 Brooklyn Law Review.
Hurter E, ‘Acting Against Cybersquatters: An Overview of the ICANN Dispute Resolution System’ (2001) 9 Juta’s Business Law Journal <https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/jutbusil9&div=50&id=&page=> accessed 14 September 2025.
Hurter E, ‘Uncertainty “Sucks”: An Analysis of Selected Panel Decisions Under the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy Regarding Gripe Site Domain Names’ (2006) 18 South African Mercantile Law Journal.
Hurter E, ‘An Evaluation of Selected Aspects of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Regulations for the Resolution of Domain Name Disputes in the .za Domain Name Space’ (2007) 19 South African Mercantile Law Journal.
Hurter E, ‘Not the Lesser Evil: Amending the Regulations for the Resolution of Domain Name Disputes in the “.za” Domain to Combat Reverse Domain Name Hijacking’ (2012) 24 South African Mercantile Law Journal.
Hurter E and Pistorius T, ‘The New Africa Top Level Domain: An African Initiative in Ensuring Africa’s Rightful Place on the Global Network’ (2014) 17 Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal <https://doi.org/10.4314/pelj.v17i3.7> DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/pelj.v17i3.7
Hurter E, ‘An Evaluation of the Concept of “Rights” as Applied in Domain Name Dispute Resolution Adjudications in the “.za” Domain: Comments and Suggestions’ (2015) 27 South African Mercantile Law Journal.
Hurter E, ‘Selected Aspects of Domain Name Dispute Resolution and Rights Protection Within the New Africa Top-Level Domain and the .za Country Code Top-Level Domain’ (2019) Research Papers from the WIPO-WTO Colloquium for Teachers of Intellectual Property Law 2017.
ICANN <https://www.icann.org/> accessed 14 September 2025.
ICANN, Approved Board Resolutions/Special Meeting ICANN Board (16 January 2022) <https://www.icann.org/en/board-activities-and-meetings/materials/approved-board-resolutions-special-meeting-of-the-icann-board-16-01-2022-en> accessed 8 August 2025.
ICANN, ‘Bylaws for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ <https://www.icann.org/en/governance/bylaws#article1> accessed 14 September 2024.
ICANN, ‘Bylaws for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ <https://www.icann.org/en/governance/bylaws#article13> accessed 25 August 2025.
ICANN, Charter for Proposed PDP to Review All Rights Protection Mechanisms in All gTLDs <https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/filefield_48755/rpm-charter-15mar16-en.pdf> accessed 21 August 2025.
ICANN, ‘Consensus Policies’ <https://www.icann.org/en/contracted-parties/consensus-policies> accessed 21 August 2025.
ICANN, ‘Developing Policy at ICANN’ <https://www.icann.org/policy> accessed 25 August 2025.
ICANN-GAC ‘GAC Session 7—Rights Protection Mechanisms’ (16 March 2021) <https://gac.icann.org/briefing-materials/public/icann70-gac-briefing-7-rights-protection-mechanisms-v2-en.pdf?language_id=1> accessed 25 August 2025.
ICANN-GAC, ‘Hague Communiqué’ (20 June 2022) <https://gac.icann.org/advice/communiques/ICANN74%20The%20Hague%20Communique.pdf> accessed 21 August 2025.
ICANN, GAC Letter to GNSO Council Regarding UDRP PDP Issues Report (14 September 2011) <https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/filefield_26633/dryden-to-van-gelder-udrp-14sep11-en.pdf> accessed 25 August 2025.
ICANN, ‘GNSO’ <https://gnso.icann.org/en> accessed 8 August 2025.
ICANN, GNSO Council Resolutions 1999–2019 Resolution 20160218-3 <https://gnso.icann.org/en/council/resolutions/1999-2019#20160218-3> accessed 21 August 2025.
ICANN, GNSO Council Resolutions 2020–Current, Resolution 202101-3 <https://gnso.icann.org/en/council/resolutions/2020-current#202101-3> accessed 25 August 2025.
ICANN, GNSO Council Recommendations Report to the ICANN Board—Regarding Adoption of the Phase 1 Final Recommendations from the Review of All Rights Protection Mechanisms in All gTLDs Policy Development Process <https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/file/field-file-attach/council-recommendations-rpm-pdp-phase-1-report-10feb21-en.pdf> accessed 25 August 2025.
ICANN GNSO Council Resolution 201112 (2011) <http://gnso.icann.org/en/council/resolutions#201112> accessed 14 August 2025.
ICANN, ‘GNSO Council Webinar on the RPM PDP WG Final Report’ (11 January 2021) <https://icann.zoom.us/rec/play/B8Bcpn73Tkva3gqsjL4cmH8Ut7dwLXrgakLTCyZMxTqGsPuFy9IQNhkYGIpXQ53QJF3zfv8SzKDymwjV.VHKOTuN1hNTTi1JJ?startTime=1610398867000&_x_zm_rtaid=ieD00Q8IRwCx0Lk0ClclvQ.1615197482347.a029014174ef3bab6959b42feef5dda8&_x_zm_rhtaid=658> accessed 25 August 2025.
ICANN, GNSO Final Issue Report on the Policy Development Process to Review All Rights Protection Mechanisms in All Generic Top Level Domains (11 January 2016) <https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/filefield_48411/rpm-final-issue-11jan16-en.pdf> accessed 14 August 2025.
ICANN, GNSO Review of All Rights Protection Mechanisms in All gTLDs Policy Development Process Phase 1 Final Recommendations for ICANN Board Consideration (7 April 2021) <https://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/proceeding/gnso-review-of-all-rights-protection-mechanisms-in-all-gtlds-policy-development-process-phase-1-final-recommendations-for-icann-board-consideration-07-04-2021> accessed 25 August 2025.
ICANN, ‘Government Advisory Committee (GAC)’ <https://gac.icann.org/> accessed 14 September 2025.
ICANN, ‘History of the New gTLD Program’ <https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/newgtlds-history-2023-04-05-en> accessed 14 September 2025.
ICANN, ‘ICANN for Beginners’ <https://www.icann.org/en/beginners> accessed 14 September 2025.
ICANN, ‘Phase 1 Initial Report of the Review of All Rights Protection Mechanisms in All gTLDs Policy Development Process’ (18 March 2020) ICANN <https://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/proceeding/phase-1-initial-report-of-the-review-of-all-rights-protection-mechanisms-in-all-gtlds-policy-development-process-18-03-2020> accessed 25 August 2025.
ICANN, ‘Phase 1 Final Report on the Review of All Rights Protection Mechanisms in All gTLDs Policy Development Process’ <https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/file/field-file-attach/rpm-phase-1-proposed-24nov20-en.pdf> accessed 25 August 2025.
ICANN, Post-Delegation Dispute Resolution Procedures <https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/pddrp> accessed 21 August 2025.
ICANN, ‘Process Documentation’ <https://www.icann.org/processdocumentation/> accessed 14 September 2025.
ICANN, Public Comment <https://www.icann.org/en/public-comment> accessed 25 August 2025.
ICANN, ‘The History of ICANN, ICANN History Project’ (ICANN History Project, 24 August 2025) <https://www.icann.org/history> accessed 24 August 2025.
ICANN, ‘The Multistakeholder Model of Internet Governance’ <https://itp.cdn.icann.org/en/files/government-engagement-ge/multistakeholder-model-internet-governance-fact-sheet-05-09-2024-en.pdf> accessed 14 September 2025.
ICANN, ‘Timeline for the Formulation and Implementation of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy’ <https://www.icann.org/en/contracted-parties/consensus-policies/uniform-domain-name-dispute-resolution-policy/timeline-for-the-formulation-and-implementation-of-the-uniform-domain-name-dispute-resolution-policy-25-02-2012-en> accessed 14 September 2025.
ICANN, ‘UDRP Rules for the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy’ (UDRP Rules) <https://www.icann.org/en/contracted-parties/consensus-policies/uniform-domain-name-dispute-resolution-policy/rules-for-uniform-domain-name-dispute-resolution-policy-the-rules-11-03-2015-en> accessed 14 September 2025.
ICANN, ‘Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy’ <https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/policy-2024-02-21-en> accessed 14 September 2025.
Internet Commerce Association <https://www.internetcommerce.org/> accessed 2 September 2025.
Kleiman K, ‘Crash Goes ICANN’s Multistakeholder Model’ (2020) 11 American University Intellectual Property Brief.
Kur A, ‘UDRP: A Study by the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Patent, Copyright and Competition Law’ (2002) Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Patent, Copyright and Competition Law.
Lindsay D, ‘What Do the .XXX Disputes Tell Us About Internet Governance? ICANN’s Legitimacy Deficit in Context’ (2013) 63 Telecommunications Journal of Australia <https://doi.org/10.7790/tja.v63i3.432> DOI: https://doi.org/10.7790/tja.v63i3.432
Litman J, ‘The DNS Wars: Trademarks and the Internet Domain Name System’ (2000) 4 Journal of Small and Emerging Business Law.
Little T, ‘WIPO Celebrates 25 Years of the UDRP’ World Trademark Review (28 April 2025) <https://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/article/wipo-celebrates-25-years-of-the-udrp> accessed 14 September 2025.
Lubbe G, ‘Estoppel: South Africa’ (2006) 14 European Review of Private Law <https://doi.org/10.54648/ERPL2006041> DOI: https://doi.org/10.54648/ERPL2006041
Newstead L, ‘WIPO and ICA Share Initial Recommendations for UDRP Review’ World Trade Mark Review (22 April 2025) <https://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/article/wipo-and-ica-share-initial-recommendations-udrp-review> accessed 15 August 2025.
Nominet, ‘Dispute Resolution Service Policy’ <https://media.nominet.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/17150434/final-proposed-DRS-policy.pdf> accessed 6 September 2025.
Pistorius T, ‘Trade-Mark Tarnishment: Should We “Laugh It Off” All the Way to “Telkomsuck” and “Hellcom”’?’ (2004) 16 South African Mercantile Law Journal.
Pistorius T, ‘.za Alternative Dispute Resolution Regulations: The First Few SAIIPL Decisions’ (2008) 2 Journal of Information, Law and Technology.
Pistorius T, ‘Cyberbusters Versus Cybersquatters: Round II in the ZADNA Ring’ (2009) 21 South African Mercantile Law Journal.
Pope M, Warkentin M, Mutchler L and Luo X, ‘The Domain Name System—Past, Present and Future’ (2012) 30 Communications of the Association for Information Systems <https://doi.org/10.17705/1CAIS.03021> DOI: https://doi.org/10.17705/1CAIS.03021
Quittner J, ‘Billions Registered: Right Now, There are No Rules to Keep You from Owning a Bitchin’ Corporate Name as Your Own Internet Address’ WIRED (1 October 1994) <https://www.wired.com/1994/10/mcdonalds/> accessed 28 August 2025.
RDNH.com, Reverse Domain Name Hijacking <https://www.rdnh.com/rdnh-provision-udrp/> accessed 14 September 2025.
Schultz C and Hofflander C, ‘Reverse Domain Name Hijacking and the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy: Systematic Weaknesses, Strategies for the Respondent, and Proposed Policy Reforms’ (2013) 4(2) Cybaris® <https://open.mitchellhamline.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1018&context=cybaris> accessed 6 September 2025.
South African Institute for Intellectual Property Law: Domain Name Dispute Resolution Workshop, Expert Panel Discussion on Regulation 5(c) Reverse Onus (Spoor & Fisher, Centurion, 4 June 2025).
Willoughby T, ‘Domain Name DRS Policies: From the Sublime to the Ridiculous’ (2006) 8 Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice <https://doi.org/10.1093/jiplp/jpl084> DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jiplp/jpl084
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Centre <https://www.icann.org/en/contracted-parties/consensus-policies/uniform-domain-name-dispute-resolution-policy/list-of-approved-dispute-resolution-service-providers-25-02-2012-en> accessed 14 September 2025.
WIPO, ‘Internet Domain Name Processes’ <https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/processes/> accessed 14 September 2025.
WIPO, ‘Overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions, Second Edition’ (WIPO Overview 2.0) 2011 para 2.4 <https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/overview2.0/> accessed 15 September 2025.
WIPO, ‘The Management of Internet Names and Addresses—Final Report of the WIPO Internet Domain Name Process’ (WIPO Final Report) WIPO Publication No 439 (30 April 1999) <https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/processes/process1/report/index.html> accessed 14 September 2025.
WIPO, ‘WIPO Conference—25th UDRP Anniversary: Commemorating 25 Years of Protecting Brands and Consumers Online: A Retrospective and Look Ahead’ (23 April 2025, Geneva, Switzerland) <https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/events/workshops/2025/domainname> accessed 14 September 2025.
WIPO, ‘WIPO Domain Name Dispute Resolution Statistics’ <https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/statistics/> accessed 14 September 2025.
WIPO, WIPO Overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions, Third Edition (WIPO Jurisprudential Overview 3.0, 2017) <https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/overview3.0/#item26> accessed 23 September 2025.
WIPO-ICA, ‘Initial Report of the WIPO-ICA UDRP Review Project Team’ (17 April 2025) <https://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/amc/en/docs/wipoicareportapril2025.pdf> accessed 25 April 2025.
WIPO-ICA, ‘Initial Report of the WIPO-ICA UDRP Review Project Team Webinar’ (28 May 2025) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsJt81ryzrA> accessed 25 August 2025.
Cases
Allstates Global Karate Do Inc dba World Seido Karate Organization v Said Karate APZA2009-0030 (dissenting).
Aqua Divers International (Pty) Ltd v Divetek (Pty) Ltd ZA2008-0016 para 4(a)(iv).
Automobiles Citroën v Mark Garrod ZA2008-0023.
Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) v X Yin ZA2007-0007.
Octogen Pharmacal Inc v Domains by Proxy Inc/Rich Sanders and Octogen e-Solutions WIPO Case No D2009-0786.
World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Inc v Bosman WIPO Case No D99-0001 (14 January 2000).
Legislation
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.
Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002.
General Notice R1166 (November 2006) GG 29405 as amended by GN 1246 (10 November 2017) GG 41237.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
© Published by the Department of Public, Constitutional and International Law, University of South Africa and Unisa Press.
Accepted 2026-01-12
Published 2026-05-12
