Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Ford vs. 2600 Judge Upholds Right To Link

Posted by timothy on from the sky-falling-film-at-11 dept.

AnimeFreak writes: "According to this 2600 article, 2600 has won the right to link to Ford's website after Ford sued them for doing so. Ford had asserted that hyperlinking to their website or referring to it in DNS records constituted a variety of trademark violations. Judge Cleland rejected Ford's twisted interpretation of the trademark act, which claimed that by disparaging Ford's mark and preventing it from 'fully exploiting the value of its mark,'" 2600 was in violation of trademark law by redirecting a possibly offensive domain to Ford's site. We've mentioned this before, and it's nice to see a ruling in favor of linking. Thanks to Phalse Phace, here's a link to the 11-page decision.

4 of 109 comments (clear)

  1. hurray! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    now, if someone would show this to the morons at KPMG

    http://www.wired.com/news/business/0%2C1367%2C48 87 4%2C00.html

    1. Re:hurray! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      slashcode messes up yet another link.

      let's try it this way:

      http://www.wired.com/news/business/0%2C1367%2C4887 4%2C00.html

  2. BUT! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Informative
    http://fuckgeneralmotors.com/ has a link to Fordreallysucks.com!

    And i'm linking to your modem! !!!!!!

  3. Please remember this! by Lan-Z · · Score: 4, Informative

    2600 stepped in when they found out someone got sued by Ford for the domain name fordsucks.com the domain name was taken from the person sued as you can see:

    Registrant:
    Ford Motor Company (FORDSUCKS5-DOM)
    330 Town Center Dr. FPS-Suite 600
    Dearborn, MI 48126
    US

    Domain Name: FORDSUCKS.COM

    Administrative Contact:
    DNSmgr, Ford (DF197-ORG) dnsmgr@FORD.COM
    Ford Motor Company
    1303 Fairlane Circle
    Allen Park, MI 48101
    US
    313-390-3476
    Fax- 313-390-1697
    Technical Contact:
    DNSadmin, Ford (AD2148-ORG) dnsadmin@FORD.COM
    Ford Motor Company
    1303 Fairlane Circle
    Allen Park, MI 48101
    USA
    313-390-3476
    Fax- 313-390-1697
    Billing Contact:
    DNSbill, Ford (DF169-ORG) dnsbill@FORD.COM
    Ford Motor Company
    Fairlane Business Park
    1303 Fairlane Circle
    ITHQ-B
    Allen Park, MI 48101 US
    313-390-3476
    Fax- 313-390-1697

    Record last updated on 20-Sep-2000.
    Record expires on 20-Sep-2002.
    Record created on 20-Sep-2000.
    Database last updated on 22-Dec-2001 22:53:00 EST.

    Domain servers in listed order:

    DNS004.FORD.COM 136.1.1.20
    DNS003.FORD.COM 136.2.1.20

    2600 caught wind of this and wanted to fight for our rights. They then registered fordreallysucks.com. So don't think 2600 did this just to fuck with Ford. Ford started this shit by suing anyone that used their name in a domain.

    I am proud of what 2600 did. Many would not have the nuts to take on a giant sompany like Ford. 2600 forever!