Facebook will Sue Me.. ???

14 years ago

Firstly you own the domain so I'm not sure why your paranoid about revealing it, unless it gives away a big idea.

If the only word in your domain related to Facebook is "book" and your site has nothing to do with them, I have no idea how they could possibly sue you. Unless it's some kind of FB spoof site or whatever. I can also see how funbook or funnybook may be seen in a different light to mybookofponies or bookoffun

Sadly though you've given us so little info it's hard to help. I'm stabbing away in the dark myself. If you're really worried speak to a lawyer or FB themselves.

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Rocky07

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Richard Van

Firstly you own the domain so I'm not sure why your paranoid about revealing it, unless it gives away a big idea.

If the only word in your domain related to Facebook is "book" and your site has nothing to do with them, I have no idea how they could possibly sue you. Unless it's some kind of FB spoof site or whatever.

Sadly though you've given us so little info it's hard to help. I'm stabbing away in the dark myself. If you're really worried speak to a lawyer or FB themselves.

Sir, it's nothing to do with facebook, it will be a Funny Blog.. just of Funny pictures. and it will only include 'Book' in the domain name, other then this 'Book' there is nothing related to Facebook. not even 0.1%

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Richard Van

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Rocky07

Sir, it's nothing to do with facebook, it will be a Funny Blog.. just of Funny pictures. and it will only include 'Book' in the domain name, other then this 'Book' there is nothing related to Facebook. not even 0.1%

It certainly doesn't sound dodgy. Jamie has provided a good link and a good point. My point was that FB is a brand so they may think that funbook is trying to emulate them somehow. "Book of fun" is not going to be even looked at though.

No need to call me Sir either, although it's very good manners you are more than welcome to call me Richard.

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theimdude 14 years ago

Originally Posted by Richard Van

.

No need to call me Sir either, although it's very good manners you are more than welcome to call me Richard.

Hello Sir Richard
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- Rick88 14 years ago
  
  Get legal advice from a lawyer.
  
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James Gould

14 years ago

If your domain implies a connection to Facebook, eg Faceybook.com - they can claim copyright issues.

Make sure your content does not conflict with copy right laws.

Here's the information you need:

Copyright Information - Law, protection, registration, more...

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HeySal

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Jamie Gould

If your domain implies a connection to Facebook, eg Faceybook.com - they can claim copyright issues.

Make sure your content does not conflict with copy right laws.

Here's the information you need:

Copyright Information - Law, protection, registration, more...

Good thing to read, no doubt. But what we are talking about is an issue of trademark, not copyright.

I don't think there is an issue using either the word "face" or "book" in a domain - as long as that title can't be construed as a referent to FB.

Of course, as mentioned (repeatedly) we need the domain name before we can comment.

There is a company that puts out a "funbook" but not sure if it is trademarked or online. So you might figure that there is more to researching trademarks than worrying about Google. Google isn't the only company with trademarks, and a smaller company may be more threatened by a trademark violation than a machine as large as google.
Unless you are actually attempting to derive a reference to FB in your domain, it's highly unlikely that people are going to get confused if all you have going is a blog.

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nicolas simpson

14 years ago

I dont think facebook can do anything to your domain once it don't have the word "facebook" in it.

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Ajay Tiwari

14 years ago

If your domain name has just book in it then there is nothing for which you need to worry. But as Richard said you own the domain name so if you reveal it, it will be easy to answer more specifically.

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John Romaine

14 years ago

Im not sure asking for legal advice on here is a good idea.

However, having said that, we cant provide accurate advice unless you provide us with the domain name.

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EdHanson

14 years ago

Everything depends on how you use what your talking about.

e.g. you have a site like "ibay.com" which is similar to "ebay.com" if you also "offer" auctions on that site your doomed!
If you just blog about gardening it probably wont interest anybody but the moment you put adsense or something you can "earn from" on that site you could get massiv problems.

To get sued (in the form you asked) that what you do must be somehow related to the orig. site or you benefit in anyway from the misspelling/missleadin. Like putting ebay links on the site mentioned above.

However not knowing specific what your talking about I see these problems:
- your country laws
- international laws
- country laws where the company is
- whats your site about
- is it in anyway related
- do you use it for income

Better you ask a laywer and read some "copyright" guidelines.. before starting such a project.

I have been thru this 3 times before and belive me you dont want to get into that kind of trouble!

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SteveJohnson

14 years ago

Here's a 'guide': get the advice of an attorney, not of people in a forum who have no legal knowledge. The advice you receive here is worth exactly what you've paid for it: nothing.

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kennykjtan

14 years ago

Let's face it. As long as you are not a multi million dollar company, I'm very sure you will never get sued even if you own website name like facebooks.com and providing the same service as facebook. BUT if you are as successful as facebook, then you are in deep trouble.

This is just a thought. I might be wrong

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onegoodman

14 years ago

Originally Posted by kennykjtan

Let's face it. As long as you are not a multi million dollar company, I'm very sure you will never get sued even if you own website name like facebooks.com and providing the same service as facebook. BUT if you are as successful as facebook, then you are in deep trouble.

This is just a thought. I might be wrong

I agree with kenny, Facebook has more issue to care about than sue individuals.

One more thing If your website include the word book only and you think it violates facebook copyright

you will never have a domain lol.

Each company trade mark their name (most likely and the name alone). now unless Facebook has a copyright on the word facebok, I don't believe they can sue a website with that name , first because it is not violation of the trade mark (facebook already on that domain) I am just using as an example. I also heard the trade mark include the exact word in the way it is written.

You make me feel you been sued before

since you that much worried

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Richard Van

14 years ago

Originally Posted by onegoodman

I agree with kenny, Facebook has more issue to care about than sue individuals.

One more thing If your website include the word book only and you think it violates facebook copyright

you will never have a domain lol.

Each company trade mark their name (most likely and the name alone). now unless Facebook has a copyright on the word facebok, I don't believe they can sue a website with that name , first because it is not violation of the trade mark (facebook already on that domain) I am just using as an example. I also heard the trade mark include the exact word in the way it is written.

You make me feel you been sued before

since you that much worried

You really need to sit down and do a lot of homework on trademarks and speak to a lawyer too and please don't bandy your theories on legal issues around here, that was frightening to read.

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Dan C. Rinnert

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Rocky07

My domain name is a funny one and after one word its 'book' i will not share the full domain name here.. for example, let's say funbook.com funnybook.com hahabook.com -

So, by using 'Book' in the .com domain name, facebook can sue me? or i will have any problem? Please guide!

As Steve Johnson suggested, for accurate information, contact an attorney.

That said, the question to ask is whether your domain name and/or site are confusingly similar to Facebook. Does it look like Facebook? Would a reasonable person visiting your site believe your site is connected with Facebook in some way? Are you in competition with Facebook?

If the answer to those questions is "no" then you are probably okay. Of course, it's difficult to say without seeing the site or knowing the domain name.

If the answer to any of those questions is "yes" or even "maybe" then you might have issues.

In either case, consulting an attorney is your safest bet.

Originally Posted by kennykjtan

Let's face it. As long as you are not a multi million dollar company, I'm very sure you will never get sued even if you own website name like facebooks.com and providing the same service as facebook. BUT if you are as successful as facebook, then you are in deep trouble.

This is just a thought. I might be wrong

They have to defend their trademark. It has little to do with how large or small you are.

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tpw

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Dan C. Rinnert

As Steve Johnson suggested, for accurate information, contact an attorney.

That said, the question to ask is whether your domain name and/or site are confusingly similar to Facebook. Does it look like Facebook? Would a reasonable person visiting your site believe your site is connected with Facebook in some way? Are you in competition with Facebook?

If the answer to those questions is "no" then you are probably okay. Of course, it's difficult to say without seeing the site or knowing the domain name.

If the answer to any of those questions is "yes" or even "maybe" then you might have issues.

In either case, consulting an attorney is your safest bet.

They have to defend their trademark. It has little to do with how large or small you are.

I am not sure of the outcome of the Trademark applications from FaceBook, but FaceBook has applied for a Trademark of both "face" and "book", as individual words.

Just because they applied for those Trademarks does not mean that those Trademarks will be granted.

Second, even if they are granted the Trademark on those words, it is hard to say if they would be enforceable in the U.S. Court Systems... If someone attempts to defend their use of either word in a domain name, and it goes to court, the court could side against FaceBook an nullify the Trademarks.

If FaceBook wins the Trademark application, AND they decide to try to enforce that new Trademark, I would think their attorneys would launch litigation against websites that are worth taking first, sites such as SEObook.com. :p

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John Romaine

14 years ago

I just registered www.bookface.com

That should be alright, yeah?

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paulthemagpie

14 years ago

defo not!

you own the domain legally!

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Richard Van 14 years ago

Originally Posted by paulthemagpie

defo not!

you own the domain legally!
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- tpw 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by paulthemagpie
  
  defo not!
  
  you own the domain legally!
  
  Originally Posted by Richard Van
  
  I could not have said it better myself!!
  
  Unless I said this:
  
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  Richard Van 14 years ago
  
  Bill, I prefered the first one.
  
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  tpw 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Richard Van
  
  Bill, I prefered the first one.
  
  So you liked this one better?
  
  The text actually reminded me more of a buddy of mine and his wife... :p
  
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stesnees

14 years ago

I have a domain with facebook in it and I haven't been sued........yet :-)

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davezan 14 years ago

Believe it or not, someone from Facebook actually commented in a TechCrunch
article about it. He commented they don't have a problem with those using book
in their domain name as long as it doesn't relate to social networks.

(Unfortunately it looks like TC moved to another comment system, so I can't find
that and point it to you. Sigh.)

So you "should" (note the quotation marks) be safe using either face or book in
your domain name as long as its context or so isn't social network-related, which
is what Facebook is famous for anyway. If you put in ads that display something
about social networks, though, that could be a problem.

If any of you registered and used a domain name with Facebook in it, expect to
at least receive a C&D letter. I don't know if you'll be sued like the others, but
you'll at least get their attention that might not turn out...pretty.
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Rich Kid

14 years ago

Unless you have the phrase "facebook" in your domain I don't see how they can sue you.

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davezan 14 years ago

Originally Posted by Rich Kid

Unless you have the phrase "facebook" in your domain I don't see how they can sue you.

Check the likes of Teachbook, Lamebook, etc. and you'll see why.
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raquelma

14 years ago

[DELETED]

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Dan C. Rinnert

14 years ago

Originally Posted by raquelma

Facebook isn't worried about a brand new website someone is still working on and growing.

If it infringes upon their trademark, they will concern themselves with it when their lawyers discover it.

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Richard Van

14 years ago

I tell you what, if I was a newbie reading information in this thread and I didn't know who was who, I genuinely think I'd build a business on sand. The misinformation has been amazing.

Rich Kid - Unless you have the phrase "facebook" in your domain I don't see how they can sue you.

That's because you neither understand it nor have you even tried to. Nor have you even begun to grasp what a trademark is or what it is for.

Don't let that stop you spreading nonsense though.

raquelma - Please consider the source of your information. Did an attorney specializing in intellectual property or copyright tell you that? If not, ignore them and keep working. Facebook isn't worried about a brand new website someone is still working on and growing.

Where did you get that advice from? You're definately not a Lawyer, I can see that. So, based on your own advice, I think the OP should and will do better in life, if he ignores you.

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IamTJM

14 years ago

The word "book" is a very generic term and Facebook certainly does not have rights over the word so you have nothing to worry about.

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Facebook will Sue Me.. ???

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