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Company Name in URL Not Copyright Infringement

Posted by Zonk on from the insert-hair-jokes-here dept.

Christoph writes "CNN reports that a man's website, http://www.bosleymedical.com, criticizing the Bosely Medical Institute does not infringe the institute's copyright on its name. The man's attorney is quoted as saying that the court's decision 'is an important victory for free speech on the Internet. It makes clear that consumers can use a trade name for a company they want to criticize.' The appeals court, however, reinstated part of the lawsuit in which Bosley alleged that Kremer is violating a so-called cybersquatting law by allegedly attempting to sell the site to Bosley in exchange for removing the disparaging material."

6 of 259 comments (clear)

  1. Maybe BosleyMedicalSucks.com, but this? by me+at+werk · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I would think it'd be a lot easier to have BosleyMedicalSucks.com and get away with it, than BosleyMedical.com

    Time to go buy aol.ws

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    1. Re:Maybe BosleyMedicalSucks.com, but this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Maybe rather than create a bunch of useless top level domains, there should be a .sucks or something that would be reserved for criticising and could not be sold to the entity that has the .com version of of a name.

  2. Re:this is ridiclous by Master_T · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Don't be silly. If I want to register "restauraunt.com" and never say a word about food on the site, that is my right. If you don't like it you don't frequent it.

  3. This can easily be solved w/ new TLD by chrispix · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Just have a TLD of .sucks That way I can register aol.sucks Hmm although this would give a whole lot of p0rn sites a new TLD to use she.sucks etc.

  4. What about in an Email by _ph1ux_ · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I have a mail server at home in which I create aliases that I give out so I know where the email address has been given from.

    For example, I created an email: dmv@[myhomedomain].com so that I could have the DMV of California email me, and I would know if I got spam that it came from them.

    I received several emails and letters from the DMV head lawer for me to "cease and dessist immediately" from using DMV as I would be infringning on their right to "defend their BRAND"

    I told him how, as a public office, I did not feel that he had a brand, and that since I was using it only for the DMV to contact me, but they were adamant that I stop using it as an email alias.

    I actually submitted this issue as an ask slashdot, but it was rejected...

  5. Re:This is exactly right by geoffrobinson · · Score: 2, Interesting

    He using a URL which is assumed to be the main company's. There would be no reason to have the URL except for subterfuge. The original post was right. CompanyXSucks.com would be appropriate.

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    Except for ending slavery, the Nazis, communism, & securing American independence, war has never solved anything.