Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

2600 v. Ford Motors

Posted by michael on from the just-buy-a-honda dept.

lizrd writes: "The New York Times is reporting in their cyber law section that Eric Corley is in trouble in the courts again. This time he's being sued by Ford Motor Company for pointing a domain name that the New York Times won't mention to Ford's website. It will be interesting to see how this comes out in the courts, both sides seem to have some fairly strong arguments."

9 of 286 comments (clear)

  1. Corporations were declared persons in 1886 ! by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 5

    > Since when do companies enjoy the rights of individuals?

    In 1886, the US Supreme Court ruled a railbed dispute titled Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad. The ruling held that a private corporation was a "natural person" entitled to all the rights and privileges of a human being.

    You can read how the history of how corporations acquired their ill-gotten rights here:

    http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/corporate/index .html

    NOW you know why certain "informed" (rich) people become a "Corporate Sole" (A Corporate Sole exists for perpuitity. Read Black's Law dictionary for more goodies. i.e. The Queen is one.)

  2. just re-redirect it by eries · · Score: 5

    Sheesh. Just look at the HTTP headers, and put up a page that tells you what happened (ie this is not an official GM page, obviously) and gives you the choice of clicking-through to the real page. It'll give you a chance to make the pranker seem juvenile, and it wil increase hits to your web site. What more do you want?

    --
    Can your IM do this?
  3. I just called Ford by geomon · · Score: 5
    I just called Ford's customer service line (an 800 number) and told the representative that I was extremely disturbed that they would go after 2600 this way. I told them that I started buying Ford products because I was so sick of the constant quality problems I had with GM products. I also told them that my wife and I just purchased a 2000 Taurus, we've owned our '96 Escort Wagon since 1997, and that we are buying my wife a 2002 Mustang this fall. In short, I informed them that I am perfectly happy with Ford's products.

    But I expressed my dismay at the legal tack they have chosen to take. I told them that if I had typed "fuckgeneralmotors" into a search engine, or directed my browser to go to fuckgeneralmotors.com, it wouldn't have bothered me a bit. I would have been laughing at the joke, and would have appreciated being directed to a company who produce a product that I have been happy with for 5 years running.

    I told the customer rep to send a note to legal that they shouldn't have been so heavy handed in dealing with Corley and 2600. They could have expressed their displeasure with being associated with the domain name without having to resort to lawsuits.

    Gee, maybe they could have even talked to Corely and explained their position. What a novel concept that would have been.

    In short, shame on Ford for being so odious. Call their customer reps and let them know that you got the joke, that you would buy Ford products based on your impression of their quality (not on a domain name), and that by basing 2600 they have shown themselves to be nothing but corporate bullies.

    They did take my comments seriously.

    --
    "Rocky Rococo, at your cervix!"
  4. fuckfuckgeneralmotors.com by Domini · · Score: 5

    GM should have fuckfuckgeneralmotors.com pointing to fuckgeneralmotors.com...

  5. Do the editors read their own site? by locutus074 · · Score: 5
    Didn't we already see this in a recent Slashback?

    --

    --

    --
    We have fought the AC's, and they have won.

  6. Responsible Rebellion by Picass0 · · Score: 5

    2600 has been an outspoken anti-capitalist voice, and I wonder if we might not be screwed in the DeCSS fight because of their outlaw image. I'm a Linux user first and foremost, and I see these guys irresponsible behavior hurting something I believe in. I should be able to watch a DVD anywhere I please if I paid for the DVD. 2600's fight with the MPAA is important and impacts us as a community. I wish someone other than 2600 were fighting that battle instead.

    2600 could be a very important voice if they would learn to pick their fights. You can't be anti-everything. I wish they would think about what they are FOR, and how they jeopardize those things when they act like children.

    So just why are we supposed to be angry with GM? Is someone pissed because my Camaro is faster than their Honda CRX? Or is it the same reason we're supposed to be mad at Verison? They're a big company. And all big companies are evil. All of them. Bull.

    If someone is abusing their customers or workforce (ala Nike) shine a light on them. But if someone is just trying to make a buck, hey, so am I. We all have to put bread on the table.

  7. If you don't want to click through 2600 ... by gerddie · · Score: 5

    read here.

  8. Bah by HongPong · · Score: 5
    Perhaps I'm stating the obvious, but it seems to me that "fuckgeneralmotors" is a statement of opinion, and someone at fuckgeneralmotors.com would not confuse it with the real GM. Routing it to Ford I'd say is a bastard thing to do, but this is free speech, IMHO.

    Companies are on a kick of saying that "Hey! That domain has our company name in it, so it's OURS!" Well, no. No it isn't. It's speech about your company.

    --

    --
    --hongpong.com
  9. Ford isn't stupid. They know what they're doing... by Gruneun · · Score: 5

    They know by making a big stink out of this they end up in a series of headlines and articles. They also get a ton of people who feel compelled to try out the page and... surprise... they end up on Ford's website.

    Ever wonder why why Marilyn Manson gets so excited about church groups fighting to stop his concerts? There is no such thing as bad publicity... it still helps for name recognition.