In order for businesses and organizations to act on potential trademark infringements, they first need to be aware these are taking place.
Small scale, localized infringement of trademarks – such as the sale of counterfeit goods on a market store – may slide beneath the radar unless reported by a member of the public.
But where trademark infringements occur online, they can be readily identified from any location – owing to the global nature of the web.
Businesses recognise the value of the internet and web-based services when it comes to protecting their intellectual property, which increasing numbers taking advantage of domain name monitoring services.
These help flag up suspicious behavior which may infringe trademarks, with end users receiving alerts over any web-based activity involving their brands.
Should something suspicious be discovered – such as a third-party hijacking a trademark for their own commercial purposes – further investigation can then take place.
If a trademark is being violated, legal action can be brought against the perpetrator.
CSC’s Kimberly Wahl said monitoring your domain names and what is being registered using your brands is “a critical part” of enforcing your trademarks.
“The sooner you know about possible infringements, the less potential for damage you have in terms of lost sales and customers,” she added.
“Being proactive is key to finding and enforcing your rights online.”
Ultimately, it is not enough to simply stumble on rights infringements by good fortune.
Businesses need to know if their brands are being used by third parties – when, where and how – and adopting a more scientific approach to domain name management makes this possible.