Has anybody received an email from their domain service providers? Apparently AUDA is taking away all domain names that dont fit the eligibility criteria. This is pure daylight robbery for some brandable domain names I have held for quite a few years. Has anyone recieved a similar email? What have you done to get around it?
Dear registrant,
New rules for .au domain names take effect on 12 April 2021 and contain changes which may affect your eligibility for the domain name: blablabla.com.au
What the change is
Paragraph 2.4.5 of the new rules states if you use an Australian trade mark to meet the eligibility criteria for a com.au or net.au name, the domain name must be an exact match of the words which are the subject of that trade mark. For example:
Trade mark:
A Pretty Horse Carousels
Current rules:
phc.com.au,
carousels.net.au,
aprettyhorse.com.au,
horsecarousels.com.au
New rules:
aprettyhorsecarousels.com.au
aprettyhorsecarousels.net.au
We are contacting you as the .au registry data indicates that your eligibility for the domain name listed above is based on an Australian trade mark or application for an Australian trade mark.
You can find more on information on this change here: com.au and net.au rule changes.
What you need to do
First you should check if the domain name listed above meets definition of an exact match in paragraph 2.4.5 of the new .au Licensing rules.
If your domain name is not an exact match of the words in your Australian trademark, and you plan to renew it, you will need to take action to ensure you are eligible to hold it.
To remain eligible for your domain name you will need change the basis on which you meet the Australian presence requirement.
However, please note if this involves changing the legal entity the name is registered to, the name will need to be transferred to that entity.
You can contact your registrar to update this information or perform a transfer if needed. Failure to take action on or before the 11th of April 2021, your domain name will be suspended as per auDA.
When this change takes place
The new licensing rules for the .au ccTLD are effective as of 12 April 2021. As your current domain name licence expires after this date, your name will become subject to the new rules if you renew it. However, the rules in place when you last renewed your name apply until the end of the current licence period.
First thing you should do about ANY email purporting to be about domain names is double check it isn't phishing or a scam email.
Either find the official website with the "new rules" through Google or the government. But do NOT click any links in that email.