Renault vs. Cybersquatting: Protecting Brand Integrity Online

Have you ever heard of cybersquatting? 🕵️‍♂️💻

This is the practice of registering Internet domains using well-known brands in order to resell them at an inflated price to legitimate parties in particular. 💰📈

Renault Group , the owner of a number of trademarks and domain name registrations based on the trading name ‘Renault’, has also had to deal with this practice. 🚗🔑

After Terry Brown of Hockley registered the domain name renaultkeycards.co.uk to repair and programme cards for Renault cars, the parties got into a dispute. ⚖️🛠️

The dispute was settled by Nominet, which oversees .uk domains – as it said there was a “real and tangible risk” that the public might think the site was officially linked to Renault. 🌐🚫

In addition, Nominet adjudicator also stated that the domain name “unfairly used” Renault’s brand value, and also ordered that the domain be transferred to Renault. 🔄🏷️

So remember to keep an eye on your brand infringements! 👀🚨