Hello all, I've started a new website, but have a ton of trademark questions (to go along with all the other questions I have about starting a new site). I've been to the government trademark site, but it's a little overwhelming. Does anyone have any good links for general internet trademark info? Thanks in advance.
You can't/don't trademark web sites. You copyright them. You can do this by visiting the US Library of Congress Copyright Office (http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/). Trademarks are for "marks", as the name implies, such as a logo that you might have on your web site. The US Government's trademark site is not overwhelming. It is quite a simple process. You file a form to do a "search" which is done to insure that no one else has the mark you are trying to trademark. You pay a fee (around $250 or so), and then wait. What is ultimately overwhelming is the waiting process, approval time, and that fact that you can easily be rejected. Trademarks are a PITA IMHO, unless you seriously need one I would not bother. The simpler, but more expensive route is to higher a trademark attorney to do it for you.
You can offically put the (TM) mark on things you want to trade mark. However, they will not stand up in any legal issue. Unless you really need a copyright or a trademark, I wouldn't go for one. Ryan