How to Copyright an Internet Website Name

Copyright to an internet website name is actually an issue which falls under domain name registration. Copyright law usually regulates intellectual property (IP) rights concerned with content/text, images/photos/drawings, etc; in terms of borrowing or using IP created by others without prior permission or license.

Domain name registration, on the other hand, deals with issues concerning domains and websites on the Internet. If you have an exclusive internet website name, not used anywhere else in any similar combination, or not already registered under their name, then the best thing to do is to quickly register that name with the proper authorities, after providing the required information and fees. Discussed in this article, is the process by which you can ensure no one else uses or infringes your right to a particular Internet website name.

To keep things in perspective, the term "copyright" is replaced with "domain name registration" to provide an accurate legal description.

• When you select an Internet website name, the first thing you need to do is check whether there is already an existing website with the same name.
• If there is, you need to go back to the drawing board or put on your thinking cap again.
• Domain name registration is overseen by a subsidiary corporation of the US Department of Commerce—Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) (formerly known as InterNIC)
• Find a registrar who is on ICANN’s accredited list and contact them to find out their procedures for registering your domain name.
• The standard process involves filling up an electronic form and paying a registration and annual fee, which be as little as $10 and go up to $35. Some of the registrars who are listed with ICANN include GoDaddy.com, Network Solutions and Tucows.
• There may be times when your chosen Internet website and domain name are already registered by another party, but is currently not in use. In such a case, you can approach the owner and negotiate to buy the domain name from them, but this move will cost you quite a packet.
• Domain names are valid for a period of 12 months, post which you will be required to pay a renewal fee for continued use of the name.

Domain name registration is usually on a first-come-first-serve basis, so even if you do not intend to put up your Internet website immediately, register your chosen name immediately, otherwise someone else may beat you to it.

Once you have obtained domain name registration, further activity to protect this name from misuse or infringement can be secured by registering the website name as a trademark. However, in order to do this, you must comply with federal laws pertaining to trademark registration and it is best to consult an attorney specializing in intellectual property, who can determine if your Internet website/domain name can be registered as such.

The process discussed here is how an Internet website name can be secured for your exclusive use. If you are still confused about copyright issues with domain name registration, consider hiring a web consultant.