Abstract
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, alterations have happened on a global scale. The rise
in the number of people who prefer to spend their time at home and who use the internet more
frequently than in the past has led to many changes, both positive and negative. Domain names
are crucial to the success of many current frauds, and unfortunately, scammers are easy to find.
Increases in the number of cases addressing trademark law’s jurisdictional problem of
unauthorised use of domain names have been observed since the outbreak’s inception. Many
inappropriate uses of domain names are documented in this study, but cybersquatting will be
the primary focus. With an emphasis on the protection and enforcement of trade mark and
domain name rights as well as the resolution of domain-related trade mark disputes, the purpose
of this study is to analyse the laws governing trademarks and domain names in South Africa.
This study will evaluate the efficacy of existing procedures and offer methods to improve them
in the wake of COVID-19, focusing on the Trademarks Act and a comparison of foreign law.
I hope that by the conclusion of this study, more people will be aware of the rise in domain
name abuse and how it can be stopped in the post-COVID era.