Volume III

Issue : 19: November 3, 2005

• Groups Challenge New Wiretap Rule for Internet Calls
• Ontarios Privacy Commissioner Issues First Health Privacy Related (PHIPA) Order
• Ontario Court Rules Plaintiffs Electronic Self Help Remedy Improper
• French Government Bans Use of Skype at Research Institutes and Universities
• ICANN Settles Long Standing Dispute With VeriSign
• RIM Loses Last Minute Bid in Patent Infringement Proceeding

Home > Volume III > Issue 19: November 3, 2005 > ICANN Settles Long Standing Dispute With VeriSign

ICANN Settles Long Standing Dispute With VeriSign

ICANN and VeriSign Inc. (“VeriSign”) recently reached a tentative settlement on a two year old dispute regarding VeriSign’s ability to offer revenue generating services based on its operation and maintenance of the .com and .net domain name registries on behalf of ICANN.

The dispute between ICANN and VeriSign originated in 2003 when VeriSign launched a service called SiteFinder that provided suggested website URLs where web surfers entered addresses that did not exist. The suggested websites were based on what SiteFinder thought the user was looking for, and in some cases, VeriSign received revenue for directing traffic to specific websites. However, as the operator of the .com and .net registries, VeriSign was accused by critics of having an unfair competitive advantage over other search engine providers, and under pressure from ICANN, suspended SiteFinder shortly after it was introduced. VeriSign then sued ICANN, who countersued VeriSign.

Under the terms of the proposed settlement, services such as SiteFinder will be subject to a formal review and approval process by ICANN. The settlement requires final approval from the board of ICANN and VeriSign along with the U.S. Commerce Department.

For additional information, visit:

http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/business/technology/12986003.htm