[comments-wgb] Trademark Owners Rights/Cyber Squatters

["SS Steve Scharf (1368)" <Steve.Scharf@amgreetings.com>]

	To Whom It May Concern:

	As the new communication medium known as the Internet grows, it is
so important that mechanisms are in place to protect the legitimate rights
of others.  Some (perhaps most) of the piracy is due to ignorance or the
feeling that "anything goes" on the Internet.  There is a general feeling of
"just do it" and if you get caught it is no big deal.  Some illegal activity
is major, but most problems are caused by hundreds or perhaps thousands of
small time players.  Anyone, no matter how limited their resources, can
launch a web business.  Policing legitimate rights is out of control.

	As the Intellectual Property Counsel for a major corporation, I can
attest to the fact that it is, indeed, a problem.  It is expensive to police
rights on the Internet, and that assumes you know where to begin.  As an
example, most cybersquaters or infringers do not use a correct address when
registering for a URL.  Even if the address was correct at the time of
registration, most fail to update their contact information.  After being
contacted, few URL owners or website operators respond appropriately. 

	We support any mechanism that helps to protect the legitimate
intellectual property rights of others.  We > support a mechanism, > such as
the "Sunrise Plus Twenty" proposal, which will minimize the use > of new
TLDs to infringe upon trademark rights.  Thank you for your consideration.
Feel free to contact me anytime.  

	Sincerely,

	Steve Scharf
	Intellectual Property Counsel
	American Greetings Corporation

	One American Road
	Cleveland, Ohio  44144
	(216-252-7300 x1368)
	(steve.scharf@amgreetings.com)