FriendFinder Networks Wins Dating Site Cybersquatting Case

CAMPBELL, Calif.—FriendFinder Networks Inc. (FFN), operator of some of the largest dating sites in the world including AdultFriendFinder.com, recently received a ruling in its favor from a panelist of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) against a cyber-squatter named Liangyun Lin (Lin). The ruling required Lin to terminate his registration of the domain names taiwanfriendfinder.com and seoulfriendfinder.com and to transfer them to FFN. The dispute began in January after Lin refused to transfer the domain names to FFN following his receipt of a cease-and-desist letter. FFN subsequently filed with ICANN a Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) case against Lin. Subsequently, a panelist entered the order in FFN’s favor. In entering the order, the panelist, Ho Hyun Nahm, found that the Lin's domain names were registered and used in bad faith, that the names were causing confusion among consumers, and that Lin had had no rights or legitimate interests in the domain names. Lin’s use infringed upon the rights of FFN in its registered trademarks. FFN has stated that it is committed to, and has a corporate policy of, enforcing its trademark and intellectual property rights on a global basis. Some of FFN's other notable websites include Cams.com, AdultFriendFinder.com, FriendFinder.com, AsiaFriendFinder.com and ALT.com.