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Is A Company Name In Your Domain Illegal

by reddawn5297
9 replies
I was watching a youtube video, where a person got on page one of google. He had a company name in his domain. The site is applehdmi.com. Is that technically illegal. I always heard it was. I wouldn't want to create a website and and up making money with it and have to fork it over to the company.

If I am right about the above, is it illegal to have a company name in your site pages. For example say that my domain was

besthdmicable.com/applehdmi - Would that be illegal.

Why is it illegal to have a company name in your domain? My guess is so they can prevent spammers out there.
#company #domain #illegal
  • Profile picture of the author casablancas
    Because you are using their own brand name to profit from yourself. You are effectively stealing from them.
    yes it is illegal and if your site gets big then you can be sure that they will find you and mess everything up for you. I definitely wouldn't risk it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by reddawn5297 View Post

    Is that technically illegal. I always heard it was.
    It depends what you mean by "illegal".

    In most countries it isn't a crime: no governmental/prosecutorial body will prosecute you for it, nobody will send you to jail. But it's often a breach of someone else's civil law rights, and they can sue you for it, especially if the name's trademarked. This is actually about trademarks, more than "company names".

    More information here: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post6360463

    Originally Posted by reddawn5297 View Post

    besthdmicable.com/applehdmi - Would that be illegal.
    My guess is not (having it in the url is different from having it in the domain-name), but a forum like this is a terrible place to ask for or take legal advice. (And the Apple corporation certainly has something of a reputation for suing people who abuse what they see as their rights over the word "apple", in such contexts).

    http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...al-advice.html
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    It's trademark infringement. The company can order a cease and desist, file a UDRP, or just skip all that and sue you. Particularly with a company as big as Apple, I wouldn't expect to get away with it for long.

    Of course, you could always contact Apple's legal department and get the info straight from them or whichever company you are thinking of using.
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  • Profile picture of the author Prashant_W
    Legal issues, huh? That's what lawyers are for... not marketers.
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  • Profile picture of the author williamk
    Banned
    What you are refferring to is called domain squatting and yes it is illegal. Check out google for more information.
    You wont get very far with it without getting a cease and desist letter.
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  • Profile picture of the author mosthost
    Originally Posted by reddawn5297 View Post

    I was watching a youtube video, where a person got on page one of google. He had a company name in his domain. The site is applehdmi.com. Is that technically illegal. I always heard it was. I wouldn't want to create a website and and up making money with it and have to fork it over to the company.

    If I am right about the above, is it illegal to have a company name in your site pages. For example say that my domain was

    besthdmicable.com/applehdmi - Would that be illegal.

    Why is it illegal to have a company name in your domain? My guess is so they can prevent spammers out there.
    Funny enough, "HDMI" is also a registered trademark and can't be used in a domain. That guy was a two for two trademark violator.
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    • Profile picture of the author VHSEOMike
      You should not do it. If it is a big company, then you might be in great trouble.
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  • Profile picture of the author davezan
    Originally Posted by reddawn5297 View Post

    Why is it illegal to have a company name in your domain?
    It's not actually "illegal" to have a company name in your domain. What can turn
    into a legal issue, though, is using one's trademark in their domain name to make
    money off of that without the trademark owner's permission.

    Not every driver going 100 or more in a 60-kph road gets caught. But those that
    do tend to pay a high price.
    Signature

    David

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  • Profile picture of the author David Sneen
    Reddawn, you must know that Apple is trademarked. Let's think of the present and the future.

    You can use the name until Apple gets wind of it. When you are doing a minimal business, they are not likely to waste their resources dealing with you.

    But, should you become large and profitable, and they feel you are messing with their brand; expect major legal repercussions.

    So, you can use it as long as you are small; but when you start making money, you will, in all probability, have to give up your name---your brand.

    Doesn't seem worth it! Right?
    Signature
    David Sneen
    It's what you do when no one is watching
    that determines what you will be able to
    do when everyone is watching.
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