Discuss Internet Governance, New TLDs, and the Harmful Effects of Cybersquatting

ATLANTA, September 25, 2008 -- The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA) held its eighth educational forum on online Brand Abuses and Internet Governance on Tuesday, September 23. Hosted by CADNA, Turner Broadcasting System, and Alston & Bird at the CNN Center in Atlanta, the event featured expert advice on proactive, preventative and reactive online domain name strategies available to brand owners and provided a forum for frank discussion.

With the Help of New Members

WASHINGTON, September 17, 2008 -- The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA) is pleased to announce the addition of two new members: NIKE, Inc. and Wells Fargo & Company. Nike and Wells Fargo have joined the leading brand owners of CADNA to help the Coalition achieve its goal of stopping illegal and unethical infringement of brands and trademarks online. Brand owners are growing increasingly concerned with the direction that Internet governance has taken and are looking to make an impact by getting involved in the public discussion of this issue. This is a positive and encouraging reaction, especially in light of the recent structural reorganization at ICANN, the Internet governing body, that conflicts with the organization’s duty to uphold public interest.

Global Brands Come Together on the Avenue of the Americas

NEW YORK, July 18 -- The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA) held its seventh educational forum on Brand Abuses and Internet Governance on Thursday, July 17. Representatives from a wide range of industries traveled to New York City from across the country and around the world to hear expert advice on particular proactive, preventative and reactive strategies available to brand owners concerned with online brand infringement.

Brand Owners Working Together to Curb Domain Name Abuses and Improve the Internet

WASHINGTON, July 2 -- This past week, the 3rd Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA) international domain abuse forum was held in Paris to coincide with one of the most contested ICANN meetings in years. Brands from around the world gathered at the CADNA forum with academic and business leaders to discuss the future of the domain name space and what can be done to improve the landscape for consumers and brand owners alike.

ICANN Solution to Domain Tasting is a Half Measure that Will do Little to Eliminate Tasting or Offer Protections to Internet Users

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2008 – The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA), a coalition comprised of 11 globally recognized brand-name companies, would like to recognize ICANN's solution to the problem of “tasting” as a partial success.

Jonathan Zittrain of Oxford University Delivers Keynote

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2008 - This past Thursday, the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA) held its London Online Brand Abuses and Internet Governance Education Forum. Broad in its geographical scope, the forum welcomed companies from the US, UK, Belgium, Netherlands and Switzerland, with half of the attendees representing Global 500 companies. These attendees came together because of concerns over issues such as online brand dilution and the often-ineffective governance of ICANN. This was the first of two international Online Brand Abuses & Internet Governance Education Forums to be hosted by CADNA, both aimed at creating a global network of brand owners in order to share the latest in proactive, reactive and preventative domain name strategies.

Senator Snowe’s Anti-Phishing Bill, Introduced Today, Will Combat Fraudulent and Deceptive Internet Practices That Harm Consumers and Businesses Alike

WASHINGTON, February 25, 2008 - The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA), comprised of ten globally recognized brand-name companies, strongly supports the Anti-Phishing Consumer Protection Act (APCPA), introduced today by Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and cosponsored by Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Ted Stevens (R-AK).

How Insiders Leverage the AGP to Avert Domain Name Investment Risks

The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA) has released a study on drop-catching. Drop-catching is an enabler for other domain abuses such as tasting, kiting and typosquatting. Large registrars and others that have the means to test domains on a large scale have harnessed this technique and built a business around taking advantage of ICANN's Add Drop Grace Period (AGP).

How Insiders Leverage the AGP to Avert Domain Name Investment Risks

WASHINGTON, January 30 - The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA) is announcing the release of a study on drop-catching. Drop-catching is an enabler for other domain abuses such as tasting, kiting and typosquatting. Large registrars and others that have the means to test domains on a large scale have harnessed this technique and built a business around taking advantage of ICANN’s Add Drop Grace Period (AGP).

The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA) was formed in 2007 by a group of leading brand owners that wanted to take decisive action to reduce online infringements across all TLDs, increase cybersquatting penalties, make the monitoring and enforcement of online infringements more manageable and educate elected officials about policy reform that will improve online consumer safety. To that end, CADNA strives to secure the stability of the Internet by fighting brand abuse in the domain name space and quelling the consumer harms that cybersquatting enables.

Among others, CADNA members Bacardi & Company Limited, Dell Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, HSBC Holdings plc, Marriott International, Inc., Compagnie Financière Richemont SA, and Verizon Communications Inc. represent a broad cross section of industries and member representatives come from a variety of corporate areas of responsibility including risk and security, marketing and eBusiness, and legal.

CADNA is building an international legal-advocacy network. There are many levels of support and involvement you can bring to the cause of moderating Internet related abuses. Members engage with specific advocacy missions on an as-available basis. If you've already joined CADNA, thank you for your efforts on behalf of this cause. If you have not joined, now is the time for you and others you may know to get involved. Don't miss the opportunity to participate in this important initiative. We invite you to become a member of CADNA and look forward to your involvement.

Click here for the Membership Prospectus

2007 Achievements

We are very pleased with what CADNA and its legislative strategist, Paul Martino, and senior policy advisor, Nao Matsukata, at Alston + Bird LLP have achieved in its first year and are looking forward to affecting meaningful and positive changes to the domain name industry in 2008. The coalition has launched a successful brand, garnered notable press coverage, established itself among lawmakers in Washington, communicated with members of the House & Senate Commerce and Judiciary committees, and provided public comment regarding the activities of Internet Commerce Association (ICA) and ICANN on behalf of its members.

In 2007 CADNA members also had the opportunity to view and comment on draft legislation pertinent to the domain name industry, enabling them to assess important upcoming legislation from the perspective of their company as well as from CADNA's collective perspective.

Furthermore, CADNA has been leading the way in initiating legislative action in 2008 that will modernize domain name related law so that domain name abuse is finally recognized as a sizable threat to Internet commerce and so that the substantial monetary damage caused to brand value and consumers can be prevented. Political forces are lined up such that domain name registration and abuse and legislation related to these issues have an opportunity to be addressed in 2008. However, there is opposition working against additional protection for brands and consumers. This is a unique challenge whereby industry and consumers must come together to advocate a free and stable Internet – a cornerstone of the open exchange of information.

In 2008 CADNA will propose and push for the adoption of a meaningful and effective US legislative solution to cybersquatting. Companies must be members in order to influence the draft legislation, shape CADNA's message and ensure their company's interests are represented.

Why Join CADNA?

• CADNA's policy and legislative advocacy in Congress with respect to cybersquatting can substantially impact and improve your business.
• CADNA provides members with opportunities to shape and influence legislative agendas and outcomes.
• Our early warning service notifies members of potential legislative or regulatory proposals.
• Not only does CADNA communicate with its members through monthly briefings, but also members themselves are active participants in sharing intelligence with each other (CADNA provides an exclusive and confidential forum for the exchange of information).
• CADNA's expertise and ability to speak for the industry can amplify your company's views of industry risks and opportunities, and can help bring about solutions that are difficult for an individual company to drive forward.
• CADNA ensures that its members are informed and kept abreast of important issues related to the domain name industry since members are often too busy to individually monitor such developments themselves.
• There is opposition working against additional protection for brands and consumers online.

Ways in which you can support CADNA

In 2007, we heard from brand owner victims of cybersquatting and professional services firms that wanted more options available to them to support this cause. In 2008, CADNA has expanded the membership tiers and categories, and is welcoming new members and supporters from various backgrounds and at various levels of commitment.

Corporate Memberships

• Leadership Member
• Regular Member
• Supporting Member

Supporter Memberships (for professional services firms)

• Strategic Supporter
• Supporter

For more information including dues structure for all levels of support, please click here to review the membership prospectus. To register as a member, please contact CADNA or a member you know for the membership application. Please feel free to forward this information to your Internet monitoring partner, law firm, or friends at other companies and encourage them to support the coalition and make it stronger.

Thank you,

Josh Bourne & Phil Lodico
Managing Partners, FairWinds Partners LLC
Directors, The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse