WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) v. InterAd.com, Inc. Case No. D2019-1429 1. The Parties

The Complainant is Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), United States of America (“United States”), represented by The DuBoff Law Group, LLC, United States.

The Respondent is InterAd.com, Inc., Republic of Korea, self-represented. 2. The Domain Name and Registrar

The disputed domain name is registered with Gabia, Inc. (the “Registrar”). 3. Procedural History

The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on June 20, 2019. On June 25, 2019, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrar a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain name. On June 26, 2019, the Registrar transmitted by email to the Center its verification response confirming that the Respondent is listed as the registrant and providing the contact details.

On July 3, 2019, the Center notified the Parties in both English and Korean that the language of the registration agreement for the disputed domain name is Korean. On July 4, 2019, the Complainant requested for English to be the language of the proceeding. The Respondent did not submit any request regarding the language of the proceeding.

The Center verified that the Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy” or “UDRP”), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Supplemental Rules”).

In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2 and 4, the Center formally notified the Respondent in English and Korean of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on July 11, 2019. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5, the due date for Response was July 31, 2019. The Center received an email communication from the Respondent on July 11, 2019. The Response was filed with the Center on July 31, 2019.

The Center appointed Moonchul Chang as the sole panelist in this matter on August 29, 2019. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7. 4. Factual Background

The Complainant, Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), located in the United States, registered the TECHTRENDS trademark on January 2, 2007 in the United States. The Respondent, InterAd.com, Inc., registered the disputed domain name on October 3, 2002.

The Respondent has used the disputed domain name in association with the website of technology trends magazine since 2018. 5. Parties’ Contentions A. Complainant

(1) The Complainant contends that the disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to the TECHTRENDS trademark. The Complainant registered the trademark in 2007 and has used the mark since 1985 for inter alia a magazine. The disputed domain name includes the TECHTRENDS trademark in its entirety. The Respondent’s website of online magazine has been in use since May 2018. The confusing similarity also takes place in common business channels and subject matter in the Respondent’s website.

(2) The Complainant contends that the Respondent has no rights in the disputed domain name. Although the Respondent registered it in 2002, its use of the disputed domain name has only begun in May 2018. The Respondent has not been active long enough to acquire its own distinctiveness.

(3) The Complainant further contends that the Respondent has used the disputed domain name in bad faith. Although the Complainant has emailed the letter against infringing its trademark, there was no reply from the Respondent. The Wayback Machine Internet Archive at “” shows several instances where the disputed domain name is up for sale asking price USD 45,000 (Annex 8). The Complainant also asserts that the disputed domain name went to a competitor who runs a magazine in a similar and identical class 16. B. Respondent

(1) The Respondent replies that he has registered the disputed domain name on October 3, 2002, five years earlier than the Complainant registered its TECHTRENDS trademark in 2007. On the other hand, the Complainant has registered its trademark only in the United States and never in the Republic of Korea. Since 2002 the Respondent has owned the disputed domain name in attempt to provide information of online technical trends. However, until recently the Complainant has never contacted the Respondent to discuss about infringing its trademark.

(2) The Respondent replies that there are many domain names including , , , , , , and , which use the same name and cover the subject matter as the Complainant’s marks. If the Complainant claims his exclusive right of his trademark in the world, he should demand all of them to cease their online magazine services of technical trends.

(3) The Respondent also replies that there are many other famous news sites and technology companies such as Fox News, JP Morgan, NBC, LG, CNN, Microsoft, and CIO Journal which provide the same mark and name of technical trends information service as the Complainant’s trademark.

(4) Although the Respondent does not own the trademark, he has allegedly provided the onli