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November 3, 2024Twist in JioHotstar Domain Drama: From Delhi-based App Developer to UAE Siblings Ownership
The much-anticipated merger of Disney+Hotstar and Jio Cinema will take the Indian streaming landscape to the next level. As per reports, both companies agreed on a $8.5 billion merger deal of their media assets on 28th February 2024. Nita Ambani is ready to serve as the chairperson of the JioHotstar. As per insiders, both companies can dominate the industry after the super-merge.
However, there comes a twist. The drama began when a Delhi-based developer anticipated the merger and purchased the JioHotstar domain. The developer initially requested Rs. 1 crore from Reliance for this domain, so he could fund his goal of studying at Cambridge University. However, his request was denied by Reliance Industries and they took legal action against him for trademark infringement.
JioHotstar Domain Going Offline
The domain lacked any branding or logo but it had a bold message addressed to Reliance Industries executives. The message had an explanation of how the tech guy had a project selected to Cambridge’s Accelerate program and he always dreamed of studying there. He stated that when he first found out the domain was available, he was excited about his dream.
Things were getting out of hand for the young app developer as Reliance Industries continuously denied his request and took legal action against him. The developer decided to take the site down as his parents were worried about the legal battle. As per a recent update, the owner of the JioHotstar domain expressed his gratitude for the legal support he has received around the world.
But there’s another twist!
The JioHotstar domain saga took an unexpected turn when two UAE-based siblings, Jainam and Jivika, claimed ownership of the JioHotstar domain. The developer’s message disappeared and was replaced with the siblings duo’s heartfelt note.
As per their message, they started a YouTube channel in 2017 with toy unboxing content. Later, they started a Seva program in India to teach children the importance of education. The duo also founded an NGO called Jainam Jivika Foundation with Shobha Kantilal Jain and Kantilal Shankarlal Jain as directors.
Jainam and Jivika announced that they acquired the domain to support the Delhi-based developer. However, the guy was unable to get the desired amount from the Reliance Industry, but he managed to secure some funds by selling the controversial domain to the UAE-based duo. Reliance has yet to release a public statement regarding the transfer of the JioHotstar domain.
The JioHotstar Domain Drama Raises the Question of Cybersquatting
‘Cybersquatting’ is an act of registering a domain name to profit from a corporate name, personal name, or a trademark from an individual. In simple words, cybersquatting is done by some individuals to take over the business from a rival.
However, sometimes the domain name can be registered with pure intentions. There’s no specific law that prohibits cybersquatting. However, the trademark owners can take legal action under the Trade Marks Act of 1999.
A similar case of JioHotstar happened in 2012 when Reliance Industries sent a legal notice to an X user named Amit Bhawani for acquiring the reliancejio.com and riljio.com domains. This incident happened three years before Reliance officially introduced Jio. In 2007, Bharti Airtel also won a dispute over the bharatiairtel.com domain with a Saint Kitts-based company.
Even though the developer sold the website to avoid further issues, Reliance Industries hasn’t made an official statement regarding the new acquisition. According to various sources, Reliance-Disney media company may come in November as Viacom18 will transfer its assets to Star India and it will be the operating company post the merger.
