Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Fark Seeks to Trademark NSFW

Posted by Zonk on from the not-so-freaking-wise dept.

I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "The term NSFW is about to join the :( emoticon, going from a generic, oft-used internet abbreviation, to one company's exclusive trademark. Fark is seeking a trademark on the use of NSFW to describe naughty online content. Of course, they may face a bit of a battle because more than a few other people are already using the term NSFW to describe their products and services. Not that that's stopped anyone in the past." And, of course, the whole thing could be a big practical joke.

31 of 199 comments (clear)

  1. Hello? by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 5, Funny

    Guess nobody clicked on the story cause it's marked NSFW! :)

    --
    My blog
    1. Re:Hello? by 77Punker · · Score: 5, Funny

      I don't have a job, you insensitive clod!

    2. Re:Hello? by jonpublic · · Score: 4, Funny

      They should try to trademark the Florida tag.

  2. You've got it all wrong! by DeeQ · · Score: 5, Funny

    The term NSFW is about to join the :( emoticon NSFW is :)
    1. Re:You've got it all wrong! by Cornelius+the+Great · · Score: 2, Informative

      Technically, it's :-( that's trademarked, not :(

      And both trademarks appear to be jokes. Despair, Inc does use the trademark as their logo (although it was Scott Fahlman who first used it in 1982). I don't think prior art works for trademarks.

      IANAL, but I'm dating one ;-)

      --
      Sigs are for losers
    2. Re:You've got it all wrong! by Alzheimers · · Score: 5, Funny

      NSFW is (.)(.) and 3==D

    3. Re:You've got it all wrong! by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 5, Funny

      >> IANAL, but I'm dating one ;-)

      I<3ANAL should be your bumper sticker.

    4. Re:You've got it all wrong! by mariotwins · · Score: 2, Funny

      All it takes to get +5 informative is ASCII boobs and wang? I must be doing it wrong.

  3. Even if it is a joke... by Bones3D_mac · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ... wouldn't Fark want to at least consider seriously doing it before someone else manages it. This could really come back to bite Fark in the ass now that they've opened the pandora's box on the topic by bringing it up.

    --


    8==8 Bones 8==8
    1. Re:Even if it is a joke... by VirusEqualsVeryYes · · Score: 5, Informative
      As a regular Farker, I think it's safe to assume that there's no malicious intent behind this. Seriously, read the linked blog entry:

      About the NSFW Trademark Application, I can say three things:

      1) Yes, we applied for it.

      2) Can't comment on the prank angle other than "stay tuned."

      3) Muhahaha.
      Does that sound remotely serious to you?

      One of two things will happen. One: the trademark is granted, Drew gets some laughs, lawsuits, and the TM gets taken away. Or two: the trademark is denied from the beginning. Either way, this TM is not going to hold up for obvious reasons already cited in the summary.

      I don't think this is opening up any sort of Pandora's box. With or without this development, trolls will TM random shit regardless. We just have to hope that the system corrects itself -- which, in general, it has.
    2. Re:Even if it is a joke... by EMCEngineer · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think everyone missed the point of this, and Slashdot fell right into it. The more page hits Drew Curtis gets, the more money he makes. So he has now created a stupid practical joke that is guaranteed to get dozens, if not hundreds, of websites to mention fark.com over and over and over.

      Then, he calmly dismisses it as a joke, while raking in profit.

      The stupid thing about this is how a few months ago fark went from being fairly open about NSFW imagery, to banning anyone that links to or posts it. Apparently they can make more money by being family(or workplace) friendly.

    3. Re:Even if it is a joke... by gclef · · Score: 5, Insightful

      it sounds juvenile, puerile, and self-serving.
      In other words, totally normal for fark.
    4. Re:Even if it is a joke... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/6254/pic321bs0.jpg

    5. Re:Even if it is a joke... by RyoShin · · Score: 5, Informative

      The stupid thing about this is how a few months ago fark went from being fairly open about NSFW imagery, to banning anyone that links to or posts it. Apparently they can make more money by being family(or workplace) friendly.
      I'm sorry, but: what?

      I've been a member of Fark for quite a few years now (five digit ID, aw yeah), and they have always been against the NSFW postings. You could never post actual NSFW images in the discussion forums, even for discussions of a NSFW link. You could link to stuff, but only if you had large notices that the link was NSFW. If something is questionable, they remove it anyway.

      Even on the TotalFarker side (who are the only ones that can comment on Boobies links now) you can't post anything like that. Images are auto-disabled for "Adult content" links, too.

      Drew has generally tried to keep Fark a place that could be browsed at work, uncaught by language and porn filters. This isn't new. They may have cracked down on porn links recently, but everything else is old hat.
    6. Re:Even if it is a joke... by Hal_Porter · · Score: 3, Funny

      Drew Curtis is a moron. You misspelled moran.
      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    7. Re:Even if it is a joke... by jcnnghm · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I wouldn't call him a moron. This story has been picked up all over the internet. For $385 (the cost to file a trademark application), I don't know that it is possible to get much more promotion.

      --
      You don't make the poor richer by making the rich poorer. - Winston Churchill
    8. Re:Even if it is a joke... by pecosdave · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Must remember to not click on anything from RugbyJock.

      --
      The preceding post was not a Slashvertisement.
  4. NSFW by olm911 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Go to Fark and read about it. It is just a joke.

  5. In relatiation by oahazmatt · · Score: 3, Funny

    In retaliation, CmdrTaco has filed a trademark for "slashies"

    / sorry
    // had to do it

    --
    Those who believe the Internet is private,
    find their privates are on the Internet.
    1. Re:In relatiation by iTowelie · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'm a "Slasher" you insensitive clod!

  6. Re:Drew selling out more? Big shock! by Megaweapon · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Can't fault CdrTaco & Co. for making a buck

    I don't fault either CmdrTaco nor Drew Curtis for trying to "make a buck". It's the method of doing so. If Slashdot tries to think of itself as a bastion of "open source" while running ads for Microsoft or Fark reeling back on it's past of "boobies and beer" by shadowbanning users that post non-moderator approved cleavage (despite the near NSFW ads they sometimes run) the sellout factor becomes apparent.

    --
    I'm sure "SlashdotMedia" will improve on all the wonders that Dice Holdings blessed us all with
  7. Re:WTF? by jtfryman · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now that is recursion at its finest.... Imagine a superscript TM with a smaller superscript TM above it, trailing off into the nether regions of unprintability...

  8. Re:Truer words were never spoken by glindsey · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Seriously speaking, I'm betting Drew just wanted to see how many news outfits he could get to carry such a ridiculous story, and how much of an overreaction and outrage said coverage would generate in the blogosphere. An effective publicity stunt, really, considering the recent publication of his book [amazon.com] and its subject matter. Wait a minute... whenever other companies attempt to patent/trademark/copyright something stupid, Slashdot jumps right on it, and rightly so because it's a stupid move. We freak out about patent trolls and people trying to copyright emoticons. If Fark really were honestly trying to trademark "NSFW," why would it be ridiculous or overreacting for everybody to point out how broken the system is, and how much respect Fark has lost for pulling such an ass move?

    Are we saying that abuses of the copyright, trademark, and patent systems are not newsworthy now? If this is a joke, then more power to them, but I see no reason why those sorts of things shouldn't evoke outrage.
  9. Y'all don't understand trademark law. by CygnusTX · · Score: 5, Informative

    First off, the original post is wrong. The guy is not trying to trademark NSFW to describe naughty online content. The application is for the provision of entertainment services. To complain about this application is very much like complaining about someone trying to trademark the word "Apple" for computers and electronics. Oh my, but who would do that? If the application is registered, it would not take NSFW out of the public domain of posts and the like. It will just prevent the COMMERCIAL use of NSFW for the provision of entertainment services. So, if one of you wanted to use NSFW to sell, say, a cologne, you still could. And you could prevent others from doing so by registering the trademark.

  10. Trademark applications by ebcdic · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ... are the new press releases. How easily you are all trolled.

  11. You think it's a joke? by 0xdeadbeef · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sure, and it was all fun and games until "The Daily WTF" was forced to rename by the World Trade Federation.

  12. Re:If they can do it by AvitarX · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm going to trademark "Florida". That way Drew will have to cross license with me to get most of his crazy news stories.

    --
    Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
  13. The dangers of NSFW! by HeliosTrick · · Score: 5, Funny

    A friend told me that NSFW stood for "Now Show Friends and Workmates"... I'm now unemployed :(

  14. Re:If they can do it by Alzheimers · · Score: 5, Funny

    only if we can trademark IORAL too...
    No, Apple already trolled the iOral for their sex toy

    Then Apple has probably already trademarked iAnal, too.

  15. Re:Truer words were never spoken by kent_eh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If this application actually gets approved, I'm guessing that Drew will be the first to point out the system is sooo broken that anyone can register pretty much anything.

    And the rest of the Farkers will post hundreds of variations of "pOwned" or the Nelson "Ha Ha" picture

    Drew is just pointing out that the emperor really has no pants, and poking fun at the fact.
    SOP at Fark.

    --

    ---
    "I can't complain, but sometimes still do..." Joe Walsh
  16. Re:Submitter here. That's too true... by cpt+kangarooski · · Score: 2, Informative

    The cost to file a trademark is like $25.

    Oops. Look like you mistyped that. The cost to file for a federal trademark is $275 (or more, depending on the details).

    You can see the PTO's current fee schedule here: http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/qs/ope/fee2007september30.htm

    --
    -- This and all my posts are in the public domain. I am a lawyer. I am not your lawyer, and this is not legal advice.