Ports Group wins domain name dispute regarding QLIK.TECH for Qlik Tech International

In this article posted last year, we described the slow but steady adoption of new generic top-level domains (ngTLDs) such as .GROUP, .COMPANY, .SHOP and so on. NgTLDs have resulted in brand new possibilities to create a domain name that better reflects a brand’s identity by using the entire domain name (not just the wording to the left of “.COM”). I used DXC.TECHNOLOGY as the perhaps most evident example of ngTLDs finally being fully accepted. This is because DXC Technology (a result of the merger between CSC and the Enterprise Services business part of Hewlett Packard Enterprise), even though owning the highly coveted domain name DXC.COM, still chose to use DXC.TECHNOLOGY as their primary domain name. Baffling to many veterans of the domain name industries (not yours truly, of course).

However, the emergence of ngTLDs is not all sunshine and rainbows. Due to the ngTLDs’ ability to create domain names where the entire domain name is close or identical to a brand, it was obvious that that ability was going to be used for trademark infringements and brand abuse.

Up until recently, the rule in domain name disputes has been to not take the top-level domain into consideration, i.e. the arbitrators are to completely disregard from the top-level domain and only focus on the wording.

As described in this post about us at Ports Group representing Mr Green in the potentially precedential domain name dispute regarding the domain name MR.GREEN, arbitrators have actually started to take a more holistic view of domain names than before, greatly benefiting trademark holders.

QLIK.TECH
Now it is time to add another win in a domain name dispute where a holistic view of the domain name has been taken. Ports Group, on behalf of our longtime client Qlik Tech International, have won the domain name dispute regarding the domain name QLIK.TECH.

The “holistic domain name” has previously been identified by us as one of the two most evident macro trends in the domain name universe (read more here).

The win regarding QLIK.TECH is a clear sign that this trend shows no intention of slowing down, which is great news for all trademark holders!