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Disney Seeks Trademark On 'Seal Team 6'
The Grim Reefer2 writes "MediaBistro has learned that the Walt Disney Company has applied for a trademark on the phrase 'Seal Team 6,' the name of the special forces unit that killed the world's most wanted man. Disney now owns the exclusive rights to put Seal Team 6 on 'clothing, footwear, headwear, toys, games and entertainment and education services.' Disney made the move only two days after bin Laden's death was announced."
According to a report in the Orlando Sentinel, "this is not the first time a company has trademarked SEAL Team 6. Previous owner NovaLogic, Inc., abandoned two associated trademarks in 2006. Those trademarks focused on computer and video gaming."
Technically, there is no current unit called "SEAL Team 6". The unit formerly known by that name is now the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group, AKA DEVGRU. Further, as DEVGRU is a Tier One Special Operations Force (the other one being Delta Force), they may not officially exist, in that no official records of them are kept. Finally, some sources are saying that the unit has been yet again renamed, this time to something classified. Thus, Disney (and anyone else, probably) could register a trademark on the name, and DoD wouldn't object (as they seem surprisingly versed in the Streisand Effect).
This is clearly appropriate for Slashdot since it's an intellectual property thing. And why on Earth would you think military stories have a place on Slashdot? Yikes.
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"I’m also somewhat surprised that a global firm with such an obsession for it’s public image as Disney would do something as unilaterally endorsing as promoting a single nation’s military."
Considering that Disney created propaganda films for the US Gov't during WWII and Walt was one of the most fervent supporters of Joseph McCarthy, this move is actually very much in line with Disney's track record.
Applying for a trademark is the process of claiming ownership. Nobody has ever applied for a trademark on something they own, because until that trademark is granted, they don't own it. As for how they can apply for a trademark they don't currently use, that's pretty frequent. You generally establish those things before you pour millions of dollars into promoting something that could be ripped out of your hands.
None of which excuses Disney's behavior in this particular instance, but the general case is fairly reasonable.
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face