Gripe site prevails in domain cybersquatting case
- Wednesday, 03 March 2010 12:31
A gripe site that incorporates a company's entire trademark into its domain is still protected under the First Amendment, a US District Judge has ruled. In the case of Career Agents Network v. careeragentsnetwork.biz, the judge said that the gripe site made no effort to bolster its own business and was noncommercial, therefore protecting it from Career Agents Network's trademark claims and cybersquatting accusations.
Like most gripe sites, careeragentsnetwork.biz began after a customer of the Career Agents Network (CAN) became dissatisfied with the services provided. CAN provided a "business in a box" type service that included training, software, support, consultants, and more for anyone who wanted to get a business off the ground quickly. Lawrence White said he paid $49,000 for these services in 2008, but eventually discovered that the business was "not as lucrative as represented."
