I am going to register a domain name with Google in it. Is it legal?

There are very very few original ideas even on (especially on ) the internet - can anyone direct us to a site that hasnt been replicated. or outline a successful business model that hasn’t been copied a thousand times.

Why do people seek to capitalise on the success of others??? I think that is relatively simple to answer.. Okay its not a simple answer there are many complex mammalian reasons, before we even get to the Human reasons.... but in essence it is how our societies, economies and our species developed, by duplicating and replicating success..
I can legitimatley run a burger chain using precisely the same strategy and model as McDonalds but I can’t call it McDonalds and have the golden arches and the clown etc.

with reference to the origional and an earlier post.

If one intends to run a site which assists marketers specifically with Adsense, That is a legitimate business. No-one could possibly advocate that a business of such a specific nature should be prohibited to any one other than Google. So what’s wrong with using the word adsense in your internet address providing the presentation of your site is such that it is quite clear that you are independent of google and or adsense?

Moreover, another issue that has not been addressed here is that your domain name is not your business name. In many cases domain names are descriptive of the service a site provides. I am not certain that it is so clear-cut that the use of the word adsense or Google in a domain name would unequivocally lead to a decision in favour of plaintiff in a lawsuit.

If the Law were so unequivocally clear-cut, property rights lawyers would be very poor indeed and you wouldnt be able to engage one as defense council neither of which statements are are anywhere near true..

As a final point what if you were selling an official branded product as an affiliate,, say you had a company called Denim Seekers Ltd but one of your domain names was: www.FindLevisJeansOnline.com. You are not purporting to be Levis jeans you domain is merely descriptive of a legitimate service that you are offering customers. Furthermore, providing the products are official merchandise Levis are benefiting your business.. or what about the McDonald’s example what if I set up a site to help people to find McDonalds restaurants online or their nearest Drive thru (they probably already have done this themselves but that is not the point) If I am smart enough to make a living by directing prople to Mcdonalds restraunts , McDonnalds would have a hard time trying to stop me.

 

Your problem is that you are confusing what you think should be, with actual trademark law. I don't care what your company name is. I don't care if your real name is FindLevisJeans. You can't have it in a domain name - certainly not if you have a commercial site. I don't care if you are a seller of Levis Jeans. This isn't a "guess", its a fact.

Adsense.com was run for years by a company that did internet advertising. Even though they had the website for years, there was another company that had a business with a trademark on "Adsense" - and apparently no website. Google bought the trademark rights from the rightful owner and took adsense.com. That's how trademark law works.

I don't care if you think you are helping google or not (it doesn't matter) adsenseseo can be taken anytime google wants to do it. You don't have a 1% chance of keeping it.

 

I think you can do it if you're gonna write about them, not use them for something

 

You can register it is not a problem.. as there is several hundreds of domains are ther

Thanks

 

Which legally doesn't make a difference. I guess you would think phishing sites are legal because hundreds of them exist?

Why are there so many morons here?

 

Well, I've seen lots of people drive beyond the speed limit. Does other people's
behavior tell you if something's allowed or not?

Heh, some people just don't know any better. This is pretty much a post-any-
opinion-you-want forum, and users themselves run the risk of foolishly paying
attention to those who are just flat-out wrong.

To the rest of you: up to you to decide whom to listen and whom not to. Feel
free to verify on your own...and deal with the results as they occur.

 

That's a great hint... find a great brand that isn't trademarked and trademark it and build upon it... someday Google can come a-calling (or anyone else with a wad of cash) and offer a billion dollars for your rights.

 

It's not a brand unless someone makes it one. Tons of marketing associated with a product or service.
Just registering a word or group of letters that is not associated with anything cannot be called a brand. It's just gibberish.

 

ya.. adsense was gibberish before it's time.

 

There is no problem if your site just a small site. But, once your site grow greater and become famous in internet, google will sue you. Please read google copyright statement. How far it prohibit the other to use the same term. As you know, google has banned all blog/site that publish the adsense if the site url contain "adsense" word. Take care

 

I agree with wanay11.
I suggest that you don't have to register a domain with the "google" word in it.
Use google as a keyword, then the search engines will find you as fast as if it were in your domain name and google will have nothing to say about it cause your just using it to explain something or talk about google.

 

i would not take the risk if it is is non important

 

..."It may be possible to register and trade on _________.com. However, the borderline between legitimate websites trading on a brand name and those that are considered illegitimate is very complex and each name must be considered in detail against:

• The basis and jurisdiction of the relevant trademark protection that the brand-owner has
• The way that the site will be used by visitors
• Whether any other unrelated or unofficial or non-licensed products will appear on the site and
• The disclaimer wording on the site.

"

I copied this from a solicitors letter in relation to an enquiry about registering a number of domain names containing a brand name. It is not clearcut you can use a trademark or Brand name. but if you intend to, Get some independent legal advice first!!

 

Use some other domain name, no use in putting in time and effort on getting a domain ranked etc, and then get the message you need to change it. Find something else, and stay out of trouble...