Geographical domain names

[elbst23]

Hello,

We are considering launching some country, state, and city related domains.

Examples could be

www.brazil.com , www.argentina.net, www.newmexico.com, www.miami.com

We would be launching pay per click pages on these domains, so often the advertisers may be companies offering travel packages to the actual place the domain refers too.

What are the legal issues here? Can we profit off of another country, state, or city related domain name? Or is it not our place too. Does the fact that we will only have pay per click advertisers promoting traveling, dating, tours, and/or other aspects directly related to that country, state or city hurt our cause?

In conclusion, we have country, state, and city domains that have traffic, and we want to promote the most relevant pay per click advertiser on these domains, are we legally allowed to do this?

I will note that the domains I mentioned above were just examples, not the exact sites we would launch. And please, only respond if you are confident in the information that you are providing...

thank you very much,
Evan

 

[smullen]

There is a lot of precedent on this sort of thing. Read through a few cases @ wipo.int

 

[Dave Zan]

Barcelona.com (http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2000/d2000-0505.html) and http://www.case.info/domain/barcelona2.pdf

Mexico.com (http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2004/d2004-0242.html)

Federalrepublicofgermany.biz (http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2004/d2004-0676.html)

Enjoy! :wink:

 

[elbst23]

thanks for the wipo.int decisions - that being said, it doesn't answer my core question which is whether I am able to host these domains with pay per click results that are directly related to the city, state or country that matches the domain!

 

[dvdrip]

Yes you can.

 

[elbst23]

ok, thanks to everyone who replied, if any one has any more comments, please feel free to write them..