Recently an app developer based in Delhi shared the news that he had purchased a domain JioHotstar.com. The developer, who calls himself a “Dreamer” bought the domain in 2023. He believed that Reliance’s JioCinema and Disney+Hotstar would merge. He mentioned if Reliance Industries wants the domain JioHotstar.com, they need to fund his education in exchange for the domain. However, Reliance denied his request and decided to proceed with legal proceedings.
Developer Asked For Rs 1 Crore For JioHotstar.com
“I am an app developer based in Delhi, currently working on my startup. In early 2023, while scrolling through social media, I came across a news piece stating that Disney+ Hotstar was losing daily active users after losing the IPL streaming license, and Disney is considering selling or merging Hotstar with an Indian competitor.”
This led me to hypothesize that, since Sony and Zee were pursuing their own merger, Viacom 18 (owned by Reliance) is the only major player with sufficient resources to acquire Disney+ Hotstar. This reminded me of when Jio acquired the music streaming service Saavn, they rebranded it to JioSaavn, and changed the domain from Saavn.com to JioSaavn.com. I thought, “If they acquire Hotstar, they might rename it to JioHotstar.com.” I checked for the domain, and it was available. I was excited, as I felt that if this happened, I could fund my goal of studying at Cambridge.
I believe JioHotstar.com would be a very fitting brand name for the merged entity. It maintains the brand equity of both brands and provides a rational transition for the current users of both sites.”
Reliance Denied The Request
The developer approached Reliance Industries with an unusual proposition. He would let go of the domain name in exchange for funding his higher education. He sought £93,345 (about Rs 1 crore) to pay his tuition fees for an Executive MBA course at the University of Cambridge. This suggestion, however, was strongly unwelcome by the company.
“An Executive from Reliance reached out – Ambujesh Yadav Ji, AVP, Commercials. A request was made for £93,345, which represents the tuition fees for the EMBA program. The request has been denied. Reliance will proceed with legal action. I hope they will reconsider this kind request. I wish such a large group could help.”
The developer was contacted by Ambujesh Yadav, an AVP of Commercials at Reliance Industries. In addition to rejecting his funding request, the company has threatened to sue him. Perhaps influenced by the size of the company, Reliance, the developer was optimistic that the company would be willing to fund his education.
Developer’s Defense And Market Analysis
The way this app developer tried to defend his actions is by saying that the purchase of the domain name in the year 2023 did not amount to cybersquatting. He further explained that at the time of purchase, there was no such thing as “JioHotstar”. He added that no company had proprietary rights to the name tag. According to the sources, he acquired the domain after reading that Disney+ Hotstar was struggling especially after being denied the IPL streaming rights, and may be planning to sell out to competition in India.
By the look of things, it seems the developer was operating on market speculation and rumors concerning Disney+ Hotstar in India. It is worth mentioning that the streaming platform suffered a major blow after the IPL cricket streaming rights were canceled. Thus there were rumors that the company might be planning mergers or acquisitions in the Indian streaming market. The developer of the site saw the chance in this situation and booked the domain.
Broader Implications For Domain Trading
However, the situation today has become quite precarious for the developer who knows that he is outgunned by corporations like Reliance Industries. On the JioHotstar webpage, he complained that he had been afraid of losing access to the domain within hours and declared to the public that he needed a lawyer.
This case poses an important set of issues in domain registration and the boundaries between domain holding for business advantage versus domain squatting. Here the developer argues that he acted under market research and information in the public domain. However, the act of swapping the domain in exchange for private benefits has worsened the issue. His application for an education grant is quite innovative. Yet he has found himself in a position where he is competing with one of the biggest corporations in India.
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