Domain name trademark violation

Domain name URL trademark violation

[Seb7]

Hi webmasters,

Been a very long time since I last posted here.

I own(ed) a domain which contained the word 'facebook' within the URL. Facebook made a complaint to my domain host about this, and my host remove it from me within 2 days.

I've had the domain for 8 years and was registered to my old email address, so by the time I noticed the warning email, the 48 hour time limit they gave me to respond had past and they just yanked it from my account.

I'm quite surprised a trademark gives any business the right to take out any URL which contains their trademark like that.

This is the first time I've seen this happen. Do I have a leg to stand on, or do I just accept this?

Seb

[Dimitri]

I think this is normal that Facebook requested your domain name to be taken down. I think they had the right to sue you for trademark infringement. That's the purpose of trademark, to register a brand, to avoid others to exploit it.

[robzilla]

It's a risk you took when you registered the domain name. See your registrar's terms and conditions, there's bound to be a clause regarding trademark violations. And then there's trademark law, of course.

[ambt]

Yes, registering domains with trademarks can be dangerous and should be avoided.
A few years ago, I cancelled myself a domain that was similar to a trademark (just different spelling). I thought it was too risky.

Then, on the other hand, some of such domains seem to be tolerated for a long time, for example: nikonrumors or canonrumors.
But these sites basically promote the brands among potential customers, so probably the trademark owners don't mind them.

My take: it's better to avoid such domains.

[Dimitri]

>> I'm quite surprised a trademark gives any business the right to take out any URL which contains their trademark like that. <<

I don't want to be rude, but do you really believe what you wrote ?