Citizen journalist turns to courts to stop game of domain whac-a-mole

Paul Mulholland, a citizen journalist, won a UDRP case against a porn studio over domain names that incorporated variations of his name. The studio then registered new variations and continued publishing content about him. Mulholland has now filed suit in federal court in New Jersey.

The UDRP is limited to specific domain names. It can order the transfer or cancellation of the names in the dispute, but it cannot order a party to stop registering new ones. Each new registration starts a fresh dispute. That is the structural limitation the case exposes.

The lawsuit combines defamation claims with requests to transfer the newly registered domains and to bar the studio from registering further names similar to Mulholland's name. A court injunction is different from a UDRP decision: it binds the party directly, and violating it can lead to contempt proceedings.

For domain holders, the lesson is that a UDRP victory settles only the names in that proceeding. It does not create a forward-looking remedy. If the same actor keeps registering new variations, a court action may be the only practical way to stop the pattern. The cost is higher, but the relief can be broader.

The court has not ruled yet. The case will test whether the alleged conduct supports jurisdiction in New Jersey and whether an injunction can be drafted to cover future registrations without being overbroad.