Many people are unaware that Nissan Motor Co. has never been able to use the domain name “Nissan.com.” For years, this domain belonged to a computer repairman named Uzi Nissan.
Uzi Nissan, an immigrant from Israel who settled in Raleigh, North Carolina, opened an auto repair shop in 1980 using his own surname. In 1991, he founded Nissan Computer Corporation, a business focused on computers and servers. In 1994, he registered the domain Nissan.com for a mere $70—long before the automotive giant had established an online presence.
This state of affairs remained peaceful until 1999. Upon discovering that the domain was in Uzi’s possession, Nissan—rather than attempting a negotiated purchase—filed a federal lawsuit against him, seeking $10 million in damages and accusing him of “cybersquatting.” Faced with a massive, multi-billion-dollar corporation, Uzi refused to compromise; instead, he transformed the domain’s homepage into a public record of the case, laying the legal confrontation bare for all to see.
The legal battle dragged on for eight years, winding through district and circuit courts, and even reaching the Supreme Court. To fund his defense, Uzi spent over $3 million in legal fees and mortgaged his property twice. Ultimately, the judge issued a pivotal ruling: a corporation cannot seize a domain name that an individual has registered and operated using their own authentic surname.
In July 2020, at the age of 68, Uzi passed away due to COVID-19. Following his death, the domain was briefly hijacked by others, but in April 2024, a federal judge ordered that it be returned to his estate.
To this day, Nissan’s official U.S. website remains NissanUSA.com. Visiting Nissan.com reveals no car advertisements; instead, the site has become a unique online memorial. It stands as a testament to an ordinary man who, armed with nothing but his own name, defended his domain through a grueling, years-long legal struggle—writing a truly legendary chapter in the history of domain names.
Source: Tat Thang (x)
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