Ethereum Name Service Challenges Unstoppable Domains' Patent in Dispute Over Web Freedom
Summary:
Ethereum Name Service (ENS) has challenged a patent granted to Unstoppable Domains (UD) in the US, citing the need for the web to remain a collaborative space. ENS alleges UD has patented a technology they created, thus restricting some core web functions. While some crypto community members back ENS, others have disputed the petition. UD founder Matthew Gould maintains that ENS was cited in the patent and it is valid. ENS founder Nick Johnson has further questioned the patent's innovative aspects.
There's been a variance in opinion within the cryptocurrency community as Unstoppable Domains (UD) came under scrutiny by the Ethereum Name Service (ENS), which has disputed a patent designated to UD by the US in early 2023. On May 2nd, ENS directed a petition at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) casting doubt upon UD's patent legitimacy. ENS asserts that the reason behind this action was to ensure the continuation of the web as a communal platform. ENS alleges that UD monopolized a technological advantage that ENS themselves developed. ENS statement read, “It’s not an homage — it’s appropriation. We need to fight this to make sure ENS stays accessible to everyone.”
ENS goes on to elaborate their organization is built on decentralization and public welfare. The company feels that the patent acquired by UD serves as an obstacle or a potential threat that could obliterate their fundamental vision and principles – which encompass the standpoint that elemental web functions must remain unobstructed from patents.
While some cryptocurrency enthusiasts join hands with ENS against UD, a few counter the petition. Adam Cochran from Cinneamhain Ventures firmly stands with the belief that the patent received by UD has no grounding. He insists blockchain names, a development credited to ENS, should persist as an unending public resource and an open realm of intellectual property. “The primary value in this sector is open-source construction, not grasping IP,” Cochran observes.
Additionally, the DeFi Education Fund, advocates of Decentralized Finance (DeFi), publicly supported ENS, agreeing with ENS on the promotion and development of open-source policies. However, one commenter from the cryptocurrency world claimed that ENS has reached a point where its only option left is to retaliate against UD. This commenter accused ENS of encouraging colleagues not to cooperate with UD and alleged that the company causes exhaustion by overcharging investors. Another commenter suggested ENS's move against UD is a form of manipulation, reiterating that patents are not assigned without an adequately followed procedure. The commenter advised ENS to fight this legal battle in court instead.
Founder of Unstoppable Domains, Matthew Gould, addressed ENS's challenges, informing that their organization was mentioned in the patent along with other blockchain domain systems. According to Gould, the patent, which includes these references, has been validated after review.
On the contrary, ENS Founder Nick Johnson responded to Gould's comments, daring him to list the key innovations covered in their patent that ENS wasn't already familiar with. Gould chose not to engage further with ENS and Johnson.
Published At
5/3/2024 12:53:02 PM
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