Iconic adult entertainment brand gets control of Centerfolds.com domain that was registered back in 1995.
Playboy Enterprises International, Inc. has won control of the domain name Centerfolds.com after filing a cybersquatting dispute against the domain name.
A World Intellectual Property Organization panelist determined that the current owner of the domain, E-Magine, registered the domain in bad faith and didn’t have any legitimate interests or rights in the domain name.
Playboy has many trademarks for the term “Centerfold”. The oldest registered trademark it has for the term “Centerfold” by itself dates to 1996.
Centerfolds.com was registered in 1995 but historical records at DomainTools.com show that the current owner was not the original owner.
The panelist didn’t know whether the current owner was the original owner, but pointed out that Playboy already established some level of common law rights in the word centerfold many years before the domain was registered.
The Centerfolds.com domain name does not currently resolve. It will be transferred to Playboy within about 10 days, assuming the current owner doesn’t file a lawsuit to block the transfer.
Well I hope that he issues some proceedings in Panama, as there is most likely to be successful for him I believe, on this domain anyway.
By the way, I noted you refer to Historical Data on Domain Tools. Can you still get that data from them ?.
I like that… a lawyer isn’t sure of the facts but screw it give it to the complainant any ways for some bogus excuse. These people still practice actual law?
C’mon, the term centerfold was coined by Playboy and was extremely famous worldwide well before 1995. Saying Playboy had common law rights to the term before 1995 is fair to this domainer.
I wonder if the domain owner would have lost if he requested 3 panelist?
Using domaintools, the last website they captured was in 2013. (not infringing on a TM) From 2010 to 2012, the website header said – PlayboyGirls,com. And, displayed a women who appeared to be a playboy centerfold.
The website did not display a staple in the girl’s stomach.
airbrush.com could be next
Decisions like this one has all but destroyed the domain industry for investors and is why this is my last year in the business. Corporate Greed and Corruption is destroying our world. This was a very bad decision and should be fought by the registrant tooth and nail.
That’s reasonable enough for ordinary investors to start clamoring for enhanced articulation.