A tech enthusiast from Delhi tried to negotiate with Reliance Jio for the domain name JioHotstar.com. He asked them to fund his MBA in exchange for the domain. Legal experts offered their help for free, but now he plans to release the domain, saying he doesn’t have the resources to fight against a giant like Jio. This situation has sparked a debate about domain squatting in India, where the laws are not very strict. However, trademark holders usually win in disputes.
Delhi developer squats on Jiohotstar.com and demands over Rs 1 crore
The drama began when the Delhi-based app developer claimed he owned the JioHotstar.com domain and asked Reliance Jio to pay for his education. Recently, he announced that the domain is now free to use, possibly due to a merger. He thanked lawyers from various places, including Cambridge, London, California, Texas, and Berlin, for their pro bono support. Despite receiving legal advice that he could keep the domain, the developer admitted he lacks the resources to fight Reliance and plans to take the site offline soon.
Domain Squatting and Legal Implications
This situation has raised important questions about domain squatting and its legal implications in India. Many are wondering if the developer’s actions fall under domain squatting.
What is Domain Squatting?
Domain squatting occurs when someone registers a domain name similar to a trademarked brand, hoping to sell it to the company for a profit. In India, the laws around this are less strict, but trademark holders often win in disputes.
Developer’s Dream
In bustling Delhi, the app developer had a dream of studying at Cambridge. In early 2023, he noticed headlines about Disney+ Hotstar losing users and possibly merging with an Indian competitor. This gave him an idea. He checked the availability of the domain JioHotstar.com and found it was up for grabs. He quickly registered it, hoping to turn this opportunity into a chance for his education.
His Vision
The developer believed that with Reliance’s history of buying promising platforms, they might acquire Disney+ Hotstar and rebrand it. He had previously been selected for the Cambridge University Accelerate program, which inspired him to pursue a full degree in entrepreneurship.
The Negotiation
With the domain in hand, the developer thought if the merger between Viacom18 and Disney+ Hotstar went through, he could sell the domain to Reliance. He imagined receiving an email from a Reliance executive offering to buy the domain, which would fund his studies at Cambridge.
He argued that JioHotstar.com would be a fitting brand name for the merged entity, as it combines the names of both brands and provides continuity for current users.
Conclusion
Buying the domain would be a small expense for a billion-dollar company like Reliance but a life-changing opportunity for the developer. He is now waiting with the hope that his clever move might lead him to fulfill his dream of studying at Cambridge. If everything works out, it will be a story of how a bit of wit and a lot of hope turned a digital domain into a real-life dream.