<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>Barrack and all</div><div><br></div><div>To address the issue of uhuru.co.ke in relation to the cyber crime Bill 2006. </div><div><br></div><div>Let me first address the issue of cybersquatting as opposed to the practice of selling domains in the Domain After Market. </div><div><br></div><div><b>Cyber-Squatting</b> is best described as the <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">practice of registering names, especially well-known company or brand names, as Internet domains, in the hope of reselling them at a profit. For example:-</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Walmart.co.ke</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Carrefour.co.ke</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yahoo.co.ke (which incidentally I once owned when I didn't know any better! :-) )</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Google.co.ke (which incidentally was free once not too long ago) </span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The </span><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;">domain aftermarket</b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">is the</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> secondary market</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">for</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Internet domain names </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">which a party interested in acquiring a domain that is already registered bids or negotiates a price to effect the transfer of registration from the registered holder of that domain name.</span></div><div><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The professional pursuit of speculation in the domain aftermarket is known as <b>domaining</b>. The domain aftermarket has grown substantially, as an increasing number of generic domains names that promise 'marketing appeal' and 'desirability' are registered by domain warehouses, or resellers.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The domain aftermarket is facilitated by auction houses which provide communication methods for buyers and sellers to interact, often anonymously, to negotiate and close a transaction. They often provide additional services, such as financial escrow services and domain parking.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;">Now let's address the <b>uhuru.co.ke</b> case. This is similar to the Evans Kidero case sometime back. In that particular case the Good Governor's team had the good sense to negotiate and acquire the domain that had slipped through their fingers.</p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;">So is Uhuru a Brand Name or a Generic Name? </p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;">A quick look at Google search results indicate that the word Uhuru has a generic meaning (freedom) and is also a name. </p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;">So which one is it? A Brand Name or a Generic one. </p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;">Let's do another exercise. </p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;"><b>Word</b>. Generic name or brand name for one of the most successful computer programs ever?</p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;">You get the picture..</p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;">Does this issue belong in the Cyber-Security bill?</p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;">My take:- A resounding NO. Let's apportion the blame where it belongs..with the guys who should have known better and let such a valuable Generic Name lapse.</p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;">KeNIC are you listening? Seems like some people need 101 lessons on Defensive Domain Registration. </p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;">And to Corporates out there here's my advise for free:-</p><p style="margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: none;">Move your domain custodian services from the IT Department to the Marketing Department.</p></div><div>My two cowrie shells..</div><div><br><div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.231373);"><b>Ali Hussein</b></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.231373);"><b>Principal</b></span></div><div><b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hussein & Associates</b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">+254 0713 601113 / 0770906375</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Twitter: @AliHKassim</span></p><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font></font></span><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Skype: abu-jomo</span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">LinkedIn: <a href="http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim" target="_blank">http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim</a></span></p><font><br></font></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><br></span></div><div>"Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought". ~ Albert Szent-Györgyi</div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.294118); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.231373);"><br></span></div>Sent from my iPad</div></div><div><br>On 25 Jul 2016, at 9:45 AM, Barrack Otieno via isoc <<a href="mailto:isoc@lists.my.co.ke">isoc@lists.my.co.ke</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><span>Listers,</span><br><span></span><br><span>As you prepare your comments, we had an interesting case last week of</span><br><span><a href="http://www.uhuru.co.ke">www.uhuru.co.ke</a>. Apparently the owner of the domain was ready to part</span><br><span>with it for a tidy sum of money. There were counterarguments as to</span><br><span>whether the domain was a generic name or whether it was a trademark</span><br><span>:-)(you know what i mean), it also brought to fore the issue of</span><br><span>cybersquatting and whether it is an illegal activity on the dot Ke</span><br><span>space. There are those who felt that this is a genuine mode of</span><br><span>business akin to speculation in real estate. Was this an offence in</span><br><span>light of the Computer and Cybercrimes bill 2016?</span><br><span></span><br><span>Regards</span><br><span></span><br><span>On 7/25/16, Barrack Otieno <<a href="mailto:otieno.barrack@gmail.com">otieno.barrack@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</span><br><blockquote type="cite"><span>Listers,</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>As announced last week, online discussions on the Computer and</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>Cybercrimes bill 2016 will start today. The Computer and Cybercrimes</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>bill can be accessed using the following link</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span><a href="http://www.mygov.go.ke/?p=11234">http://www.mygov.go.ke/?p=11234</a>.</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>Today we focus on part II of the bill which focuses on the offences:</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>Questions</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>1. Does the section address computer and cyber crime related offenses</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>in a comprehensive manner and according to International standards ?</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>2. If it does not can you point out areas that need to be incorporated</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>into the bill?</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>3. Are there clauses in this section that will impede the growth of</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>electronic commerce or affect online citizen participation as seen on</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>Kenyans on Twitter (KOT) ? If that is the case , how should the same</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>be phrased?</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>4. Do you have any other proposals that can be incorporated into part</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>2 to improve it?</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>We welcome your feedback on the questions above,</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>Thank you</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>Kelvin and Barrack</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>--</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>Barrack O. Otieno</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>+254721325277</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>+254733206359</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>Skype: barrack.otieno</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span>PGP ID: 0x2611D86A</span><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br></blockquote><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>-- </span><br><span>Barrack O. Otieno</span><br><span>+254721325277</span><br><span>+254733206359</span><br><span>Skype: barrack.otieno</span><br><span>PGP ID: 0x2611D86A</span><br><span></span><br><span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>isoc mailing list</span><br><span><a href="mailto:isoc@lists.my.co.ke">isoc@lists.my.co.ke</a></span><br><span><a href="http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/isoc">http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/isoc</a></span></div></blockquote></body></html>