Trademark owners go after their names on .co.
A dozen companies have filed 13 .co domain name arbitration disputes since the relaunch of .co as a a generic domain name.
The most recent UDRP filing was for Dreamhost.co by the owner of the large web host DreamHost.com. This is a somewhat surprising case given that surely a web host was aware of the release of .co domains.
Other companies have also filed cases. AOL wants aolmail.co and L.A. Fitness is going after lafitness.co. Other companies filing complaints include:
Akbank Turk A.S.
Linode, LLC
Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
Barry’s Ticket Service, Inc.
Dormeuil Freres
Tilda Limited
Rautaruukki Oyj
Spa Esprit Group Franchise Pte Ltd
.Co domains are subject to a UDRP procedure similar to .com, except that only World Intellectual Property Organization currently hears the cases.
Gazzip says
The first of many thousands probably.
Richard says
“lafitness” its generic,it has a TM on it but it could be a weight loose program,yes?maybe?
Wallace says
No idea why people still register trademark/copyright domain name, don’t you heard newyorknewyork.com and teachbook case?
Barry Lebovitz says
LA Fitness is completely generic. If they win a UDRP on it I will not be surprised though. Literally every citynamefitness.com is registered, yet LAFitness is somehow original? It is like calling your real estate biz LARealEstate.com. City names should not be subject to TM infringement. Unless perhaps the City itself is involved.
DomainersChoice.com says
I wonder how they will handle cases where the domain is a generic, let’s say “target.co” and someone has a trademark on it.
Andrew Allemann says
@ DomainersChoice – that would matter how it’s being used.
Barry Lebovitz says
There is literally a TM for almost every word in the English dictionary. That is the problem. On top of that there are 1715 records for the trademark “target” ALONE. Not to mention the half-life of fortune 500 companies, mergers and acquisitions it should be obvious the UDRP process is simply a racket.
If you think generics terms/words/phrases aren’t subject to UDRP losses then see the THOUSANDS of cases where IMO domains were stolen from rightful domain owners. Two letter domains, one word generics, even cityname or last name domains. Domainers are at the bottom of the totem pole from a legal perspective. We are even subject to $100k damages if a UDRP case is lost against us.
Sylvester Stallone, inventor of the word “Rocky” won a UDRP for Rocky.com – So imagine being sued $100k on top of losing a generic you paid $20k for. All of this is possible, and all because most of you are content with handing your rights over to the grey area cesspool that is “trademark law.”
Now think about teachbook.com and what is happening with facebook claiming rights to the word BOOK. Is any of this started to look a bit out of control yet? When is this house of cards going to fall due to the laws of physics. Or in this case, laws of common sense, which the legal community has never had much of.
Rob Sequin says
Pure speculation and TM violations.
.co is off to a great start.
So far Eliott has the only .co domain to be developed that I know of.
1 in a 1,000,000?
Let’s see more developed domains from .co investors. Show the world. Be proud of your investments. Develop your investment.
No?
I say .co will always be about .com typos and .com typos only.
No better than .cm other than better marketing.
Maybe I’m going too far here but I’ll say .co is BAD for the domain industry.
Prove me wrong.
Robert says
hmmmnnnn. yet the people who register such domains have the audacity to call themselves domain “investors”, telling a BS story that they chase parking revenues etc. this is a perfect example to demonstrate that most larger domain holders are simply cybersquatters trying to extort whatever they can with no real legitimate interest in their domains. i know this comment will offend many, but i prefer to speak the truth.
Barry Lebovitz says
@Robert You must think cybersquatting generic domains is illegal. Why would we be offended? It is like telling a New York real estate tycoon his empty parking lot is land-squatting and he should give it up to more upstanding citizens. Nothing brings a smile to my face more than seeing some newtard is upset because I regged his idea first, and I am putting it on a parked page just to piss them off even more. I am proud of pissing people off 🙂 ALSO I COULD CARE LESS BECAUSE IT IS NOT A CRIME.
robert says
@Barry Lebovitz
Wow! I touched a nerve! Your response proved my point well though. Thanks.
Fret not comrade as I too own a few domains. But let’s not gloss things over, most domains are being held for ransom rather than genuine need or development. (Eg: I want a generic domain very similar to one I have for hobby use – PPC, revenue and google low, obscure topic, but large domainer extorts $1000+. Real value perhaps $200 if they can find any buyer other than me.) A big issue is the level of $$extortion in the domain industry – it has a bad image for a good reason.
Typical domainer’s analogy: domains = real estate. NO. Are 80%+ of homes left vacant? – this would never be allowed. If a house is too much then buy the place next door, not so with domains. One person cannot own the whole street or suburb. Not possible to put in hard work to make another “house” or “street” into a nicer one as one can with real estate. Completely different ball game. Stupid analogy. This is just an excuse to try to make squatting more legitimate.
Brainstorm: how about I call myself Barry Lebovitz. Other squatters also claim 1000s of variants. BUT WE HAVE NO LEGITIMATE REASON FOR THIS OTHER THAN EXTORTION! So now you must call yourself barry_lebovitz_happy_golfer_451. Sound fair? Nah, thought not.
Legal? So too are pyramid marketing schemes. So too is an 80yo screwing your wife or 18yo daughter. So too is free uni for prisoners. Is it right though? But wait, it’s NOT legal. That’s why they made anti cyber-squatting laws. It’s just that getting around these laws is soooo easy. Humans will always justify anything that benefits them personally, or find a way to sidestep laws so they can keep doing it.
Remember, this truth is coming from a fellow domain owner. I’m so sorry if I choose not to take a puff and join the party.
SumerKolcak says
You people are disgusting, you people make no sense at all. before you idiots even use the word ” CyberSquating “…
what the f.. does that word even mean?
you f***.. s-holes..
what does “CYBER SQUATING ” mean ?
and most importantly what does
” TRADEMARK ” mean ?
to find the answer to this “trademark” question above, we have to go back, way back, let’s rewind to the stone age.
a female comes up with a way to make her hair blonde, and some other chick decides to make her hair blonde as well..
okay so, the first female says
” why did you do it? ”
” i trademarked that! ”
and then she is suppose to grab a stone
and punch her on the forehead ?
i swear, if anybody touches my .co names..
that i got.
( i am already getting some threats and godaddy tried to steal mines until i filed police report to get them back )…
I SWEAR IF ANYBODY TOUCHES MY .CO
DOMAINS…
did i repeat myself too much?
GOOD. because i will come knocking your
and your friends door PERSONALLY
if you touch my .co names.
internet is an awesome place, to track you all down.
do not ever use the word “TRADEMARK” in this world. you can only use it for self promotion but do not ever use it to steal something from somebody.
because if you do, they have the right to self defend themselves and with self defense, it’s legal to even KILL.
enjoy it honey.
– Sumer Kolcak