Domain name with hyphen or not?

[eventdomain]

Why are you presuming to put an end to this thread? You didn't start it, you aren't a mod; why should you try and end it?

Ofcourse I'm not a Moderator, and don't care to be one either. Don't take things so literally :|

Do you have anything to back up the assertion that hyphens are widely used for illegal purposes?

I didn't say that - if I registered certain words, it means I own those words, plus combined with ownership of that domain stops others from passing themselves off as my company.

Trademark protection covers 3 areas:

Words
Graphics
Logos

there's probably worrying stats out there, where people have ended up in Court for copying the above, so it clearly goes on. But I recently checked domains for our company and someone registered one, which basically copies our name & domain name, and that's fine as long as it's not attached to a website. If it is, it's clearly a case of passing off, which is very illegal under UK law.

Hyphenating a domain name is not "very risky".

Come into my parlour, the spider said to the fly

It is risky if you copy trademarked words, again 'passing off' will apply if the words are used eg: on a website.


eg:

If you have a registered trade mark you can put the ® symbol next to it to warn others against using it. However, using this symbol for a trade mark that is not registered is an offence.
A registered trade mark:

• may put people off using your trade mark without your permission
• allows you to take legal action against anyone who uses your trade mark without your permission

 

[edmondscommerce]

i don't think the thread was about cyber squatting or anything like that.. simply the comparitive merits of a domain name with words separated by hyphens or not, regardless of what those words are.

cyber squatters don't only use hyphens

 

[eventdomain]

The basics of this thread encourages squatting, except it's more than that.

Registering similar domains, where it's legally clear the registrar doesn't own them, IS claiming to be whole or partly representing that company, if the domain is used.

It's theft of something they don't own. The proper legal definition of theft is:

The misappropriation of someone else's property, with the intention of permanently depriving of

Cybersquatting is theft of domain names, with the aim of holding onto them for extended periods of time, and intention to force a sale from the original domain owner/holder.

 

[KM-Tiger]

The basics of this thread encourages squatting, except it's more than that.

Err, no.

My original question was the SEO merits of 'bluewidgets.co.uk' versus 'blue-widgets.co.uk'.

I did not imply by that example that I did not have the right to use 'blue' or 'widget', and I don't see where anyone else assumed that that either.

 

[edmondscommerce]

The basics of this thread encourages squatting, except it's more than that.

all i can say is wtf read the op ffs

 

[edmondscommerce]

deliberately abbreviated there, if you dont understand you dont want to understand

 

[crossdaz]

What was the question - I've lost the plot?

 

[Dawg]

What was the question - I've lost the plot?

If you have10% lower costs to a question your net profit increases by 100,000 cybersquatters. But not if they are hyphenated domain-events. Or something.

 

[eventdomain]

if you dont understand you dont want to understand

lol.

merits of 'bluewidgets.co.uk' versus 'blue-widgets.co.uk'

and merits dont come into this bcos the moment you take a domain, where the words/company clearly dont belong to you, you're breaking the law.

So in a nutshell, people are asking if it's alright to take eg: iwantoneofthose.com, if they stick in a hyphen eg: iwant-oneofthose.com.

The answer is NO - bcos it doesn't belong to you you might be able to register the domain, but you cannot claim the business name belongs to you. So merits might be there, but you'll never get the benefits.

1. The domain is already owned/part of another website
2. Domain is someone elses property - so you get done for theft anyway. Eg: you just stole a domain name

From the Intellectual Property Offices website:

A registered trade mark: is your property.

so as soon as you register the hypened domain, you take ownership of something that doesn't belong to you. Chances are the words will be trademarked and then your stuffed.

There are no merits where theft is concerned. Passing off is illegal too.

 

[crossdaz]

If you have10% lower costs to a question your net profit increases by 100,000 cybersquatters. But not if they are hyphenated domain-events. Or something.

Thanks - it all makes sense now

 

[eventdomain]

But not if they are hyphenated domain-events. Or something.

The words are trademarked, so are protected.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]© 2005 -2009 Event Domain ®[/FONT]

[/FONT]

 

[Dawg]

Event domain you are the only one banging on about trademarks, theft, and cybersquatting, and for the most part it is irrelevant rubbish.

Taking a hyphenated domain name is not illegal, does not infringe trademarks, and is not theft except in very limited circumstances. Those circumstances are not what this thread is about. Your advice is plainly wrong in the majority of circumstances, and gives a misleading impression of the law, of what domain names are legally available to be used, and of the OT itself.

People have tried to point this out straightforwardly, with humour, in detail: all with no result. So, clearly: You are talking rubbish.

(If you feel very strongly about this why don't you start your own thread on it?)

 

[crossdaz]

Taking a hyphenated domain name is not illegal, does not infringe trademarks, and is not theft except in very limited circumstances. Those circumstances are not what this thread is about. Your advice is plainly wrong in the majority of circumstances, and gives a misleading impression of the law, of what domain names are legally available to be used, and of the OT itself.

What if I register myeventdomain.co.uk and use it sell domain names about events?
Or maybe: wwweventdomain.co.uk and run as a site about the importance of full stops in web addresses.

 

[eventdomain]

Listen Dawg,

You aren't in-charge of trade mark law, I'm not wrong as Ive checked this with the IPO, and this cannot be challenged.

and is not theft except in very limited circumstances

yeah, whatever lol.

I'm going to explain this once to you. A DOMAIN IS PROPERTY so says the IPO, which is the Government body okay. If I own something, and you attempt to steal it in any way, it's called theft and you can be prosecuted and that's what the laws says.

Your advice is plainly wrong in the majority of circumstances, and gives a misleading impression of the law, of what domain names are legally available to be used, and of the OT itself.


So, clearly: You are talking rubbish

Oh bugger off lol.

 

[eventdomain]

What if I register myeventdomain.co.uk and use it sell domain names about events?
Or maybe: wwweventdomain.co.uk and run as a site about the importance of full stops in web addresses.

Sorry, but it still contains 2 words owned by me. At the very least it comes under 'Passing off' - at least.

But seeing as its trademarked, you wouldn't stand a chance.

 

[crossdaz]

Sorry, but it still contains 2 words owned by me. At the very least it comes under 'Passing off' - at least.

But seeing as its trademarked, you wouldn't stand a chance.

Wanna bet?

 

[Dawg]

You've checked with the IPO? Yeah right.

If something,in this case a domain name, is trademarked, the specific words are trademarked in the order that the trademark is applied for. Furthermore the trademark is further narrowed by being registered in chosen categories, and locations.
Thus I have a trademark on The Dawg's Biscuits but not The Biscuit Dawgs, and the trademark applies to foodstuffs and animal feeds but not to, for instance, chemicals agents or protective clothing.
Registering a domain dawgsbiscuits, dawgs-biscuits, thedawgsbiscuits or the-dawgs-biscuits is possible and legal. If however you then try and sell dog treats that are similar to mine, in a fashion likely to make people think they are mine, you are passing off: this is the illegal act. Not the ownership or use of the domain name. The act is not theft, but a civil offence, although still under the aegis of the IPO.

None of this changes the fact that you have hijacked the thread, nor the fact that you refuse to accept that you have hijacked the thread. That your argument ends in a banal burger off lol sums your argument up.

I will however burger off, as arguing points with you is obviously a complete waste of time; as shown on this thread and on the other where your grasp of net profit and %s was so inadequate, you successfully reserve the right to just be wrong.

 

I will however burger off, as arguing points with you is obviously a complete waste of time; .

Be aware that "burger off" is the IP property and trade mark of McDonalds PLC and as such action may be taken upon any individual trying to pass there buns off as Ronalds.

Earl

 

[crossdaz]

Wanna bet?

eventdomain.org.uk is sat waiting for someone to pick it up.

The only reason I didn't bother was that it's worth nothing to no one apart from you.

I'd snap it up if I were you

 

[eventdomain]

None of this changes the fact that you have hijacked the thread, nor the fact that you refuse to accept that you have hijacked the thread.

oh dear - in any case the thread OP can have it back

 

[dynamic08]

event domain you are very wrong! You dont own the words. Are you saying that you will sue the oxford dictonary for having the word "event" etc.

Are you saying nobody can ever write that word without being sued.

You need to explain your self much much clearer.

 

[eventdomain]

event domain you are very wrong! You dont own the words. Are you saying that you will sue the oxford dictonary for having the word "event" etc.

Are you saying nobody can ever write that word without being sued.

You need to explain your self much much clearer.

Look, how it works is that trademarks stop people copying business names, Logo design etc and prevents them passing themselves off as the trademarked company.

Its pretty simple actually - and although anyone can write the words eg: on a piece of paper, they cannot assume ownership as that business or trade under the trademarked words.

So say Google owns the trademark Gooogle.com - I can register that domain, but as soon as I put it on the web or print, Google would have a case for it. Trademarks make proving ownership much easier, easier than saying "I own a domain and thus you cant use it".

I suggest you register a trademark yourself, then you will fully understand how it works and the protection it provides.

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

The point is that "event" couldn't be trademarked because it's a generic word of the english language, and you can't stop anyone for using it.

However, if the oxford english dictionary included "google" then they would probably have to obtain permission, or at least list it as a registered trademark, because Yes, effectively they do own the word.

There is also the issue of passing off. If I reigstered a domain event-domain-directory and started trading off it, then I could be pretty sure that a cease and desist would land promptly on my doorstep, because I would be passing off my business as theirs.

 

[SusanP]

However, if the oxford english dictionary included "google" then they would probably have to obtain permission, or at least list it as a registered trademark, because Yes, effectively they do own the word.

Just as a matter of interest, Google is in the OED as a verb. It entered the online dictionary in June 2008. It's not marked trademark, as such, but is written with a capital G (which indicates a trademark) and the definition is "to use the Google search engine to find information on the Internet", so it is clearly linked with that one company - for the present, anyway.