Trademark owners that want to make sure their marks are not used in the newly-established .XXX internet domain have until October 28, 2011, to opt out of the domain. .XXX is a domain for adult entertainment websites, and was approved earlier this year by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. The sunrise period for .XXX began on September 7, and runs through October 28, during which time applications are being accepted for adult entertainment industry members to register with the domain (called the “Sunrise A” period), as well as for trademark owners that are not in the adult entertainment industry to block the use of their names on the .XXX domain (the “Sunrise B” period). A trademark owner that registers during the Sunrise B period will effectively remove its brand name from the list of available domain names.

After October 28th, domain names become available to the general public, and trademark owners that have not opted out are at risk of having their marks used on the .XXX domain. The cost to register in Sunrise B generally ranges from $200 to $300, depending on which domain registrar is used to opt out of .XXX. You can find the list of accredited registrars here.

If you need assistance with registering your marks during the Sunrise B period, the attorneys at Strike Kerr & Johns are available to help.

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