Google may lose "google" trademark.

Discussion in 'Legal Issues' started by pstation, Jul 7, 2006.

  1. #1
    Google name might lose trademark protection due to it's trademark becoming common public parlance.

    Practical implication for webmasters/domain players: Current federal law protects against retaining domains that have trademarked elements. IF the trademark protection disappears due to the mark entering the common common vocabulary, the legal protection against such domain registrations disappears. This might have already happened since the term "google" is now a verb per the 11th edition of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary

    "Google risks losing the value of its corporate trademark, he pointed out, if it becomes part of everyday speech.

    Google appreciates the problem. In its 2005 annual report to investors, the Mountain View, Calif., company noted that "there is a risk that the word 'Google' could become so commonly used that it becomes synonymous with the word 'search.' If this happens, we could lose protection for our trademark, which could result in other people using the word 'Google' to refer to their own products."

    Full story here: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationw...,0,5891791,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines



    Cya...I'm off to go register a ton of google domains ;) I doubt anything would happen anytime soon. Google's will fight this like crazy and it'll get tied up in the legal system for years and years.
     
    pstation, Jul 7, 2006 IP
  2. odradek

    odradek Peon

    Messages:
    87
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #2
    Interesting, so their search engine is too popular? :D
     
    odradek, Jul 7, 2006 IP
  3. SEOEgghead

    SEOEgghead Peon

    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    1
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #3
    I believe "spam" is ironically another example of this. Hormel lost control over the trademarked word "Spam," because of its common use.

    Anyone have any conspiracies as to why "spam" and "google" are the latest two examples of such an occurance :)

    Hrmmm.
     
    SEOEgghead, Jul 7, 2006 IP
  4. Blogmaster

    Blogmaster Blood Type Dating Affiliate Manager

    Messages:
    25,924
    Likes Received:
    1,354
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    380
    #4
    I don't see that happening, not as long as common words like realtor remain trademarked.
     
    Blogmaster, Jul 7, 2006 IP
  5. aaron_nimocks

    aaron_nimocks Im kind of a big deal Staff

    Messages:
    5,563
    Likes Received:
    627
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    420
    #5
    Ya right.

    So I was at the grocery store today and was looking for some bread. I was all over the store googling but never found it. :(

    Just doesnt fit.
     
    aaron_nimocks, Jul 7, 2006 IP
  6. lehoema

    lehoema Peon

    Messages:
    37
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #6
    could the same thing happen to the word ipod?
     
    lehoema, Jul 7, 2006 IP
  7. livingearth

    livingearth Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,469
    Likes Received:
    83
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    140
    #7
    Does anyone know by what stretch, bulk unsolicited email ended up being called SPAM?
    The only reason I can really figure is they are both something I don't want...
     
    livingearth, Jul 7, 2006 IP
  8. browntwn

    browntwn Illustrious Member

    Messages:
    8,347
    Likes Received:
    848
    Best Answers:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    435
    #8
    browntwn, Jul 7, 2006 IP