In fact there is precedence to this. In 2000 WIPO ( World Intellectual Property Organization ordered the owners of Barcelona.com to surrender the domain to the Barcelona City Council.

The million dollar question is who can champion this. Or who has jurisdiction and more importantly the appetite for this?

I remember a few years back when I was handling the Kenya Airways web properties urging KQ to secure all iterations of their name online. Do you know KQ still doesn't own kenyaairways.com? A few years ago it was being used as a blog to diss KQ. Now it's a landing page being used for monetization. And the list goes on..

Ali Hussein

+254 773/713 601113

Sent from my iPhone®

On Jun 14, 2012, at 5:26 PM, Kivuva <Kivuva@transworldafrica.com> wrote:

Ali Hussein, can we have a basis to ask ICANN/Verisign to surrender the name kenya.com to the republic? If its possible then that would be a landmark case. We have more examples like uganda.com that is clearly owned by a speculator. Other countries are not better off, with even southafrica.com controlled remotely from the west.

On 13 June 2012 17:10, Ali Hussein <ali@hussein.me.ke> wrote:

Good question Kivuva. In Internet time that was eons ago. Question is how about now. What can we do? Cyber squatting is still very prevalent.

Ali Hussein

+254 773/713 601113

Sent from my iPhone®

On Jun 13, 2012, at 5:04 PM, Kivuva <Kivuva@transworldafrica.com> wrote:

Ali Hussein, kenya.com was registered in 1995 when domain squatting was taking root. I wonder how many of us knew what a domain is.

On 13 June 2012 16:33, Ali Hussein <ali@hussein.me.ke> wrote:

Alice

I agree. What is more interesting is that there are only 3 Geographic names. Africa, dotAfrica and Durban. These are real concerns that will need to be addressed. Even more interesting is that the rest are basically South African through DSTV.

The implications of cost, national pride etc arise.

For example a quick search for Kenya.com brings up

Registrant
                     Abstract Holdings International Ltd.
                   Alex Royf
                   The Business Centre
                   Upton, St. Michael (BB)
                   BB11103

  Administrative Contact

                   Abstract Holdings International Ltd.
                   Alex Royf
                   The Business Centre
                   Upton, St. Michael (BB)
                   BB11103
                   @abstractholdings.com
                   +1.(246)436 8600


  Technical Contact

                   Abstract Holdings International Ltd.
                   Alex Royf
                   The Business Centre
                   Upton, St. Michael (BB)
                   BB11103
                   @abstractholdings.com
                   +1.(246)436 8600

Regards

______________________
Mwendwa Kivuva
For
Business Development
Transworld Computer Channels
Cel: 0722402248
twitter.com/lordmwesh
www.transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing
kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know

_______________________________________________
kictanet mailing list
kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke
https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet

Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com

The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.

KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.