Protection of Geographic Names in International Law and Domain Name System Policy (Information Law)

TheInternetCorporationforAssignedNamesandNumbers(ICANN),thebodychargedwithoperationalandpolicyauthorityovertheDomainNameSystem(DNS),isdevelopingasetofcriteriatoexpandtheinternetcommunityspowertonameanddesignitsowndomains.Thisinitiativepresentsanopportunitytoclarifypolicyonsomecontentiousissues,includingthetreatmentofgeographicnames.However,itisbynomeansclearwhetherthepossibilityofrecoursetogeographicalnamesiscompatiblewithinternationallaw.Isitlawfulandpossibletoallocatedomainnamesnamedaftercontinents,regions,countries,citiesandothergeographicareas?Whoisentitledtousethesedenominations?Offeringacomprehensiveanalysisofafieldwhichatpresentraisesmorequestionsthananswers,thisbookexaminestheimplicationsofpositiveinternationallawtoassesstheextenttowhichgeographicalnamesarecurrentlyprotectedbydifferenttitles,andtowhatextenttheycanbeexclusivelyclaimedbygovernmentsindefenceofterritorialprerogatives.Inthecourseoftheanalysisanentirelynewfieldofinternationaleconomiclawemerges,asanumberofdistinctareasoflawintersectandengagewithsuchdiverselegalissuesasthefollowing:intellectualpropertyunfaircompetitionissuesofinternetgovernancetheroleofsoftlawtheextenttowhichrightsingeographicnamesarerecognizedintrademarklawgeographicalindicationsinternationalhumanrightstonationalidentity,self-determination,freedomofexpression,culture,language,andpropertybadactorsrightsrecognitionandchallengemechanismscontroversialandgeopoliticalnames;anddisputeresolutionpolicy.Demonstratingbeyondadoubtthatagreatnumberofdifferentlegalfacetswillneedtobetakenintoaccount,thisremarkableandfar-seeingworkoffersavaluablecontributiontoshapingfuturerulesinthefieldofinternetdomainnameallocation.