Panelist rules it is a criticism site, not a case of cybersquatting.
Southwest Airlines has lost a cybersquatting complaint it filed with against the creator of SouthWoke .com, a site that makes fun of Southwest Airlines for allegedly being “woke”.
The site criticizes the company for its policies around DEI, ESG, LGTBQ+, BLM, etc.
It’s not clear who runs the site. The domain is registered through Flokinet, a hosting business that says it is “a safe harbor for freedom of speech, free press and whistleblower projects”.
This case was dead on arrival, and I’m surprised Southwest Airlines filed the complaint. While it makes sense that it would want this site taken down, there’s absolutely no way anyone would confuse this site with something supported by or created by Southwest Airlines.
First, the domain name itself contains what is now used as a derogatory term, so anyone visiting the domain name wouldn’t confuse it with a site actually run by the airline.
Second, the site is non-commercial criticism, and UDRP panels carve out an exception for these types of sites.
Munck Wilson Mandala, LLP filed the complaint on behalf of the airline. The domain owner did not respond to the dispute.
