Shouldn't there be some sort of restrictions on whether a person from any other country can buy a country specific domain, with trademark domains being an exception.

Hi Nomad, that's an interesting question.

In my opinion, such rules would put a dent in entrepreneurship and therefore they should not exist. Just because I happen to live in Canada, I think it would be unfair to deny me the freedom of purchasing other country specific domains such as .in, .be and .us.

Also, where would you draw the line with such restrictions? I am originally from the UK, so does that mean I would be eligible to buy both .ca and .uk domains?

I'd be interested in hearing your views about such restrictions.

Agree with Ceres. Restrictions just stifle innovation. Prior to 2005 getting an Indian domain was extremely difficult and as a result, people just used .com's instead. By opening the market up, .in's have become increasingly used and gone up in value.

Thats what I was asking for, There should be some restrictions, I mean like most people just buy domains of specific national extensions and keep it parked. I was looking up for some .in domains and most of them were just owned by some firms dealing in domains. So that purely puts a restriction on any person of that nation to get that nation specific domain. The other person is also not using it, he is just waiting for this person from that nation to offer up a price.

You can't really tell what the owner's intentions are. If you want the domain, you can simply buy it or find another domain that suits your purpose.

Yea jeff that can be done but still, Many worthy domains are just held, just for price. I just checked the thread relating to 'Chinese registrars buying indian domains' This is just what I was pointing out to. This is the extremity of the aspect.

For trademarks there are legal remedies.

Yea, I know that but I do feel that the first right to a country specific domain is with the nationals of the nation. I mean for websites that are an individdual's name, like if I buy the name of Indian PM.in and I don't have anything with the person and I reside in Europe. Isn't that bad?

I don't recall and INDRP cases that deal with it, but under the very similar UDRP, a famous person can normally win their own name.

Yea, Legally the person has the first right to it , and hope Indian Cyber laws have a defined rule regarding this. This would be totally upright if that domain is related to that personality itself?